UPDATE 1-Abertis in talks to sell Luton Airport to AENA | Reuters
AENA, with a current 10 percent stake in Luton, is teaming up with AXA Private Equity of France to buy Abertis's 90 percent stake, a source familiar with the talks said on Monday.
Analysts have said AENA may want to expand its assets ahead of a government plan to privatise a minority stake in the holding company, but its heavy debt pile - 15 billion euros in 2011 - means that it needs a financial partner for such a bid.
AENA operates 50 Spanish airports, including Madrid's Barajas and Barcelona's El Prat, while AXA PE has assets of $32 billion managed or advised in Europe, North America and Asia, including a wide infrastructure portfolio.