Airports - Private or Public

[dwlpl]

In the light of the EU/Ryanair investigation, what are the UKs privately owned airports (such as those owned by BAA, Peel and TBI) and what are those that are publically owned with throughputs over 1 million passengers?

[niknak]

I'm pretty sure that there aren't any.

In fact, I'd be hard pressed to name a UK airport that is still owned by a local authority that has a throughput of more than 100,000 passengers per year.
There still remain a few which are Limited companies whose majority or entire shareholding is still owned by the local authority, but even these are in the process of being sold off to private investors.

[brabazon]

Try Manchester International Airport....

The Manchester Airport Group of companies is owned by Manchester City Council and the other nine Greater Manchester District Councils, as follows:

The Council of the City of Manchester - 55%
The Borough Council of Bolton - 5%
The Borough Council of Bury - 5%
The Oldham Borough Council - 5%
The Rochdale Borough Council - 5%
The Council of the City of Salford - 5%
The Metropolitan Borough Council of Stockport - 5%
The Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council - 5%
The Trafford Borough Council - 5%
The Wigan Borough Council - 5%

[symphonyangel]

I'm pretty sure Brabazon is right, Manchester is 100% public sector but are the deals Manchester do with operators like Baby against the new state aid rules like Ryanair at Charleroi? The same Manchester Councils also own EMA and Bournemouth and don't forget LBA is owned by the local authorities of Leeds, Bradford, Kirklees etc and Newcastle is majority public sector - 51% with the Councils, 49% with CPH. Exeter too probably has more than 100,000 passengers and is Council owned.

[LBAir]

:ouch: So, what are the implications for those airports???

[symphonyangel]

I guess if they're clean and theres no subsidies going to the airlines, thats its all transparent and charges/discounts are visible to the other airlines and airports - published in other words, then its all okay. Otherwise its one for the lawyers. Does anyone know what these state owned airports do in practise?

[Flightmapping]

Isn't BHX 49% various councils and 51% Aer Rianta + Macquarie + staff?

If these companies are run as PLC's, I would assume they are free to negotiate whatever deals they want, providing it is in the commercial interests of the airport. I have always assumed FR's expanded presence at BHX was more to do with personal rivalries with MYTL, rather than any "special deal" from the airport.

[symphonyangel]

Flightmapping - you may be right regarding the motivation of Ryanair in BHX but you are not right with some of your other points. The fact that some public sector airports are called plc or ltd has no bearing - the criteria is whether it is state owned monies that are being spent in this way - plc's is a UK thing too so Europeans don't draw that distinction. These airports would therefore probably not now be free to negotiate whatever deals they want.

You are right too to say "it is in the commercial interests of the airport" but that is part of the problem as it will now be deemed to be anti-competitive.

[LTNman]

Luton is still 100% owned by the council but is leased to TBI for a fixed term.

[Whoops]

Does anyone know which of Ryanairs destination airports are privately owned and which are state owned? Is there a list anywhere?

[newswatcher]

whoops, not aware of any list, but it was quoted in the press, at the time of the EEC ruling, that the ratio of publicly-owned to privately-owned was about 2:1. All the French, and most of those in Spain and Italy were quoted as publicly-owned.

"Publicly-owned" is also difficult to define. Some are owned by "the State", whilst others are owned by "local government". I think Strasbourg is owned by the local chamber of commerce!

[A and C]

Letts see if we can keep this on subject and not turn it into yet another Ryanair bashing thread.

But I,m not going to put any money on it !.

[MAN777]

MAPLC also own Humberside airport