BAA existed long before Mrs Thatcher became Prime Minister. As the British Airports Authority it controlled a number of airports around the country including LHR, LGW and STN. As a nationalised 'industry', it was inefficient and monopolistic, but in those days Governments had a much greater say in regulating aviation.
It was privatised by Mrs T, and the shares were owned by mainly UK investors. Prior to its sale, there were calls for it to be broken up, but it survived whole because it was easier and more beneficial to the taxpayer to sell one entity. It was, however, regulated.
When a Spanish company bought it out, they used an enormous amount of debt, and control of a major slice of UK infrastructure moved to Spain.
Obviously, private companies should not be regulated unless necessary, but in this case, a foreign operator was acting monopolistically by cross-subsidising its airports and distorting competition. Any inhibitions to free competition are investigated by the Monopolies Commission, who have powers to protect consumers from such behaviour.
The decision to break up BAA is long overdue, and should be supported.

Thinks... why is there only one monopolies commission??:8

Ezy & STN/FAO
 

I would imagine that the current 3x daily STN-FAO may change to 2x daily seeing that the SEN service is only once daily with a second daily showing on Saturdays. I'm only using logic to make an assumption there. Dropping 2 x services when there is obviously demand from STN would be a crazy move, leaving the good folk of STN only the 'Blue Harp' brigade on the FAO scheduled route:{... No thank you very much.

Ryanair To Launch Complaint Against Baa Stansted For Overcharging?

Nevertheless FR will launch new daily flights from STN to Malmo and Leipzig next winter.

Apparently airberlin is to axe FMO with effect winter schedule and there are rumours that PAD will go as well. That would leave AB with just DUS from STN - anyone in the know whether AB will desert STN for good?

plenty of space at southend,and cheaoer

Maybe Germanwings will consider to move there? As I understand, they have a lot of business from Ford originating in CGN now that Ford no longer operates its company shuttle between CGN and SEN, so a move would probably please one of Germanwings biggest customers.

Not before long there will be only a handful of airlines offering year-round scheduled services from STN (Ryanair, Easyjet, Aurigny, bmibay, Turkish, Windjet - did I miss anyone?).

Pegasus and Belle Air. TK's flights are all under the AnadoluJet brand now

Windjet does not have any flight from Stansted.

Windjet is only showing on Wiki. Not necessarily a reliable source of information. And not showing on Windjet's website. 'Catania begins 29 October' does seem an odd time of year to be starting such a route... Someone's imagination running wild maybe? :rolleyes:

Oh... And lets not forget Thomson Airways who are committed to the airport year round! :ok:

1 - Leipzig flights are not daily. (5 weekly)
2 - They have cut/reduced many routes form STN this winter.

Is that Leipzig proper (LEJ) or "Leipzig-Altenburg" (AOC), the former airbase that is not even located in Saxonia, let alone in Leipzig?

They operating form Leipzig (LEJ)

Just to sort of confirm the rumour about FMO and PAD facing the axe - now both routes are on sale for a starting price of 190,99 EUR one way, which usually is the first confirmation that a route will go.

As PAD is served in a W-pattern with a DUS-based aircraft, not sure what that means for the sole remaining route by airberlin to DUS.

Flights to LEJ were announced daily but they're bookable just 5 weekly.
Start frei für neunten Ryanair-Flughafen in Deutschland

There are no flights on Fridays and Sundays. But these days should be one of the strongest days of the week (talking about bookings).

That's nice. I guess the folks at AOC are delighted, given that FR axed all flights from "Altenburg-Leipzig" only a short while ago.

Having flown into both AOC (with FR) and LEJ (with AB) I, for one, am sad to see the switch. It was always a pleasure to have a delicious beer on the terrace at AOC and wait for the FR plane to arrive before dashing through security! LEJ is better connected of course but a total bore.
I think the Thuringen government are wanting to focus on Erfurt airport so have cooled their support for AOC.

Both finish on 31 October. Still in booking system after 31 Oct but not bookable at all.

So let's wait and see what will happen to the DUS route as FMO and DUS are served by the same DUS-based aircraft.

Is easyJet going to terminate 3 destinations (namely : Faro, Fuerteventura and Funchal) from Stansted ?

They appear not to be bookable for the summer 2012 (FAO is not on sale after 4th of April, FUE after March 24th and FNC after 1st Nov 2011).

with the spare capacity that they have ,could they be used from southend