BAA Guilty For Its Own Mess!
I spent some 29yrs working for BAA, and the company lost its way several years ago, and its decline was simply speeded up under the Spanish takeover. Senior Management had, and still are, bought in from diverse industries, (such as the Co-Op), have very little idea of the Aviation world...but don't know that they 'don't know'!. Staff with a lot of 'real world' aviation background have been made redundant (like me!), and that has had some impact too ..but not as much as some may think as we were not listended to that much by the new breed anyway!.
I believe selling of Stn as well as Lgw is the way to go . and IF Ryanair were to bid..and win ..you would see a signifcantly better Airport in the long term..more efficient, cost effective and user friendly. Putting Security out to contract would be the start, followed by the Fire Service, two area of very, very high costs (both of course very important), but both run in a 'shabby' manner.