Sorry to contradict you again DFC but NATS is a PLC which is why it is the only privatised ATC service in the world. Otherwise how could the staff and the airlines all be shareholders. We all have our certificates which do go up and down in value.
The UK Government do not hold a controlling stake in NATS. The major shareholding is with the consortium of airlines which bought NATS. The Government and the staff hold the other shares. So if you wish to buy a majority shareholding in NATS then stockmarket companies are the ones you would be buying from. Go on make them an offer !!
Legislation to stop a non UK person or company from buying shares in NATS ?? Well Britannia hold about one seventh of the airline group shares and they are ..... German. easyJet are an equal shareholder and at their founder and larges shareholder was .... Greek.
Extra costs ? Well you haven't quite grasped the facts about the NOTA yet. Only those airlines operating to southern UK and France are likley to benefit on the Atlantic routes to balance against raised charges on non Atlantic services. So if you are Frankfurt or Amsterdam based you get no benefit and a raised charge. If you have no trans Atlantic services you lose out completely. There is also a certain irony in the Irish carriers having to pay overall increased charges to NATS while their Government owned ATC company creams in loadsa extra money.
