Interesting piece on another forum that the owners of Manchester in the 90s argued against expansion of Stansted as this would stop new airlines serving Manchester.
How times have changed with MAG now bidding for Stansted...how odd ?
As you say times have changed. In those days the low cost revolution was yet to happen, the BAA had a monopoly of all the London airports and many bilaterals with other countries said London - not Manchester or other regional airports. All this has now changed.
STN was being touted as the airport that would solve all London's capacity problems. MA feared that all intercontinental route expansion into the UK would be funneled in there if and when LHR and LGW got full.
BAA neglected STN eventually to concentrate on the cash cow that is LHR when they recognised the strength of opposition against any further expansion. (You could argue that the same applies to LGW having seen the way the new owners have re-vitalised it and attracted new airlines.)
Meanwhile Manchester Airport has morphed first into MAG operating a number of airports and has now evolved into M.A.G Airport Management and Services with the approval of the shareholding local councils.
Whether this means the Management Team will take the eye off the ball at MAN if they acquire STN remains to be seen. It certainly seemed to happen when EMA and BOH were acquired but the management team now are virtually all different.
Suzeman