Anyway, will leave you to keep asking your hypothetical questions
There's nothing hypothetical with loosing over £10m on buying & selling Humberside airport, which could have been used for public services.
I can't understand why the council tax payers of Manchester want to own an airport in Essex, especially in light of the public sector making such a hash of running businesses (newcastle airport directors payoff!), and MAG's own disastrous track record of acquisitions and low dividend payouts.