identnospeed
19th Mar 2001, 09:34
From Reuters this a.m. :
LONDON (Reuters) -
The government is set to award the contract for a 46 percent stake in the National Air Traffic Control System (NATS) to the Airline Group, a consortium of eight airlines, the Times reported.
It said the Airline Group had convinced officials that it had the technical expertise to buy the stake in the part-privatisation plan, adding that support for the group from U.S. firm Boeing Co had been influential.
The group includes British Airways and Virgin Atlantic.
However, the Times said last-minute changes to the bids from the Airline Group and rival consortium Nimbus, led by British business services group Serco Plc, could delay a decision beyond a general election, widely expected in May.
Earlier this month, the government said it had accepted undertakings from Serco to remedy competition concerns about its bid for the stake in NATS.
"It is an extremely tight timetable and there is no room for any lapses. If all goes according to plan, we will just squeeze in ahead on an election campaign," the report quoted a government official as saying.
INS
LONDON (Reuters) -
The government is set to award the contract for a 46 percent stake in the National Air Traffic Control System (NATS) to the Airline Group, a consortium of eight airlines, the Times reported.
It said the Airline Group had convinced officials that it had the technical expertise to buy the stake in the part-privatisation plan, adding that support for the group from U.S. firm Boeing Co had been influential.
The group includes British Airways and Virgin Atlantic.
However, the Times said last-minute changes to the bids from the Airline Group and rival consortium Nimbus, led by British business services group Serco Plc, could delay a decision beyond a general election, widely expected in May.
Earlier this month, the government said it had accepted undertakings from Serco to remedy competition concerns about its bid for the stake in NATS.
"It is an extremely tight timetable and there is no room for any lapses. If all goes according to plan, we will just squeeze in ahead on an election campaign," the report quoted a government official as saying.
INS
