Scottish airports 'not for sale'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/scotland/7620423.stm

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The owner of three Scottish airports has vowed not to sell one of them despite pressure from Britain's competition watchdog.

Four weeks ago, BAA was told by the Competition Commission that it may have to sell three of its seven UK airports, including one in Scotland.

BAA has now announced plans to sell Gatwick Airport - but said it wanted to keep Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen.

The watchdog wants to break up the company's monopoly.

The commission had said it should sell either Edinburgh or Glasgow airport.

BAA CEO Colin Matthews said he had accepted the sale of Gatwick but would fight to keep its other airports.

He said: "There's quite a long way to go between now and the end of the Competition Commission's work.

"We disagree with the Competition Commission and we'll continue to argue the case as best we can."

Potential bidders for Gatwick Airport are said to include the Australian company MacQuarie, Germany's Fraport, the owners of Manchester Airport, and Virgin.