I think that you will find Luton ATC needed a small injection of capital. The then airport management felt that it was not commercially viable to invest in non revenue generating infrastructure so elected to contract out.
Faced with this, staff within LUTON ATC elected to ride on the NATS horse rather than lame CoSir.
As I understand it, no one has lost any money nor been made unemployed.
FACT (Rumour), had CoSir taken control, both would HAVE HAPPENED (Money reduced and staff made redundant)!
The unit at Luton needed a bit of up dating, management then decided to contract the brilliant in house service out.
TBI can bleat, but the service is never going back 'in-house'. Previous management have secured this.
NATS could now have TBI over a Cardiff/Belfast/Luton barrel.
Actually, TBI get very good value for money.
Now if, Now if, Now if airlines had actually turned into proper business for summer 2003, then TBI would be proudly announcing their tremendous association with NATS.
Sadly all the new business is passing TBI by:
Iceland/Astreus
Norwegian
Flying Finn
Basiq Air
PIA?
SkyEurope