Virgin eyes up Gatwick
Tuesday, 02 Sep 2008 12:59
The Virgin Group has confirmed a Daily Telegraph report that it is interested in bidding to run London's Gatwick airport if the Competition Commission rules that BAA should sell it.
A spokesperson for Virgin said Virgin Atlantic may bid to run the airport as part of a consortium.
"We would be able to bring our expertise in customer service into any ownership group.
"We are a shareholder in the air traffic control company NATS, which we part own with other airlines, and could imagine a similar scenario in terms of Gatwick's ownership."
However, the spokesperson also noted that it is "very early days" and refused to comment on whether they have held talks with other parties.
The Daily Telegraph reported that Richare Branson was planning an offer of around £2 billion.
Earlier this month, the Competition Commission said it would be breaking up BAA's ownership of the airports and was considering forcing the sale of two - with Gatwick and Stansted the most likely