MANCHESTER Airport bosses today confirmed they are actively considering a bid to take over the BAA-run Glasgow Airport.
MANCHESTER Airport bosses today confirmed they are actively considering a bid to take over the BAA-run Glasgow Airport.
And - if the move goes ahead - they have pledged to lower fares and improve waiting times and customer service.
Manchester Airports Group, which is owned by the 10 local authorities of Greater Manchester, said the Glasgow operation fitted its business portfolio.
Sale move may kill off Prestwick'By BRIAN CURRIE THE sale of Glasgow Airport could "kill off Prestwick Airport overnight", an industry insider claimed today. The transport expert said: "Any new owner could offer the low-cost operators a lock, stock and barrel move by tweaking the landing charges. "Both Glasgow and Prestwick have had modest low-cost growth because BAA has been shaping and profiling what it wants and part of that is about managing charges." That would not apply to a new investor, however, and he added: "Prestwick should be really worried about this." However, Prestwick's chief executive Mark Rodwell said it was "highly unlikely that either of our major customers would move their activities to Glasgow". He added: "We operate a highly efficient and service-focused airport. We have a very strong relationship with our airline customers like Ryanair and Wizz Air and we are encouraged by discussions with them regarding growth." Michael Cawley, Ryanair's deputy chief executive officer, said he believed Prestwick would be successful "regardless of the ownership of other airports in Scotland". The insider claimed both Glasgow and Edinburgh airports would be attractive to investors because both had underperformed. He said that despite "Scottish Enterprise rhetoric" about the funding of direct flights, Scotland's performance in attracting them was "not that good". Some airports earned as much from parking and shopping in the terminals as from landing charges - facilities which could be expanded at Glasgow and Edinburgh, he said. But he added that using Glasgow airport was a "dreadful experience" compared to its European counterparts. |
The group favours a take-over of Glasgow, rather than Edinburgh, because of its size and location.
MAG's external affairs director Jonathan Bailey described Glasgow Airport as a "great opportunity" in the wake of yesterday's Competition Commission report.
The report recommended that Spanish-owned BAA should lose control of either Glasgow or Edinburgh Airport as well as two of the three London airports.
The Manchester group also operates East Midlands, Bournemouth and Humberside Airports.
Mr Bailey said: "In the north of England we are thriving in a very competitive market.
"We have been lowering our charges to airlines and passengers year-on-year for the past decade. At the same time we have been working very hard to improve our customer service.
"In 2006 we invested £40million in terminal improvements and this summer at the peak of the holiday season we had zero queues.
"These are the kinds of improvements we would bring to Glasgow if we were to operate it.
"We work very closely with our stakeholders and with airlines and communities around the airport and ensure that any developments are appropriate and have minimal impact."
Mr Bailey said that if the company was to run Glasgow Airport they would strive to make contacts at both community and political level.
He added: "We have to make sure we are developing what Glasgow wants and needs.
"We now have to sit down and come to a decision about whether we want to compete or bid for Glasgow we are certainly very interested, it's a great airport.
"It has huge growth potential and in terms of operational efficiency and capital expenditure we think we can make a real difference to Glasgow and bring in value for our shareholders.
"We know the people who run Glasgow Airport and the staff and they are fantastically committed."
Glasgow Chamber of Commerce chief executive Richard Cairns defended the record of BAA here and said its ownership had "shown clear commitment to the city, and has been a good partner for business.
"Glasgow and Edinburgh airports serve different markets, so the disposal of Glasgow will not necessarily improve competition.
"Moreover, BAA has significant investment under way and planned for Glasgow."
But airlines welcomed the prospect of a new owner, with Andy Harrison, EasyJet chief executive, saying the report was "an honest and unbiased assessment of our airports".
"Everyone knows our airports aren't working, and that BAA and regulation aren't working."
A spokesman for Virgin Atlantic said: "This is a major victory for passengers.
"The BAA monopoly of our airports has failed to give travellers and airlines the world-class facilities that they have long deserved."
And Jim Callaghan of Ryanair said: "We welcome the commission's comprehensive report into the market power of the BAA monopoly and fully endorse its findings."
Cathcart MSP and former Glasgow council leader Charlie Gordon has tabled a parliamentary motion welcoming the commission's recommendation.
It calls on the Scottish government to recognise it would "create a level playing field on which the airports serving the city regions of Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen can flourish".
