<H1>NATS targets Spanish expansion
14 Jan 2011
BAA’s Spanish owner Ferrovial and the UK’s air traffic control body NATS have joined forces to bid for air traffic control services in Spain.
Spain's Infrastructure Ministry has announced plans to privatise ATC at Alicante, Valencia, Ibiza, La Palma, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, Seville, Jerez, Sabadell, Cuatro Vientos, Vigo, La Coruña and Melilla airports this year.
Santiago Olivares, chief executive of Ferrovial Services, said: ‘Our alliance with NATS combines our knowledge of the aviation industry and the specific features of the Spanish market with NATS' track record in air traffic control and its unique experience in the privatisation of such a sensitive sector.’
Paul Reid, managing director NATS Services, added: ‘We are very much looking forward to developing further our relationship with Ferrovial, building on the strong links we have already established in the UK.
‘Since privatisation, NATS has demonstrated an excellent track record in safety and quality of service, leading the industry in reducing ATC-related delays.’
NATS, which became a public private partnership in 2001 with the UK Government owning a 49% stake and the rest of the shares privately held, recently reported its sixth successive year of profit.
It currently manages around 2.2m flights a year in the UK and eastern North Atlantic, through some 2,000 controllers based at 15 airports and two operations centres.
NATS Services is its commercial business, which works with airports, air navigation service providers and other customers worldwide.
Ferrovial, meanwhile, founded in 1952, is one of the world's biggest infrastructure groups, operating airports, toll roads, construction and services divisions, with a presence in over 45 countries.
It acquired BAA in 2006.
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