AENA's privatisation

[Conspiracy Theories]

España privatiza el 49% de su red de aeropuertos | Economía | EL PAÍS (http://economia.elpais.com/economia/2014/06/13/actualidad/1402658712_690945.html)


Found this article in spanish. Spanish government selling 49% of their shares in AENA. I feel very disappointed that europe indirectly making this happen. More terms and conditions going to get worse.

[Conspiracy Theories]

This is the financial times english version of the privatisation..Spain to sell 49% of airports group Aena - FT.com (http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/bd8f885e-f307-11e3-85cd-00144feabdc0.html)

[Flitefone]

I think you will find this is the airports business of Aena, not the ATC division.

More like the UK example of the government selling BAA, not like the UK government selling the majority of NATS.

Even so, the Spanish govt is selling a minority stake in Aena airports. This is about raising cash, but retaining control.

Ironic that this is the same Aena that now owns Luton Airport!

FF

[Buster the Bear]

Aena is a partner holding the concession to operate Luton on behalf of the local borough council.

[Flitefone]

Indeed Buster, Aena is the owner of the airport operator at luton.

All part of Londons' complex airport ownership mix.

FF

[Conspiracy Theories]

So what do you guys think of RYR entering the ATC world then in AENA?

They are very confident they can reduce the costs. We will probably see that the heavier the car going to the airport, the bigger it will cost to park at the airport (sorry, couldn't resist)

The Sunday Business Post (http://www.businesspost.ie/#!story/Home/News/Ryanair+expresses+interest+in+Spanish+airport+privatisation/id/87198161-2385-3a13-29db-d0e868692284)

[Satellite Man]

Ryanair is rumoured to be bidding for AENA's 21% that will go to big investors. To me it seems a nonsense that the Spanish government may even consider to sell a stake in AENA to Ryanair, taking into account that (i) Ryanair has been consistently complaining about fines by the ministry, about procedures, about taxes, almost about everything; (ii) Spain lives on tourism and (iii) AENA is a strategic, key company to Spain's economy.

The reality is that Ryanair has benefited in Spain from many government subsidies, and in turn they pay almost all their taxes in Ireland. Many airports have been built in Spain when there was no demand for flights (politicians just wanted to get a cut on the works commissioned to build the airports); Ryanair has been the excuse to build some of these infrastructure in exchange for subsidies. Now subsidies have been cut down and the government wants to get rid of the airports.

Politicians in Spain have artificially made AENA go into a very big debt by building airports everywhere; most of the works commissioned by AENA have at least doubled the initial budget, including the enlargement of Madrid airport (building Terminal 4). This has made a very profitable company like AENA go into the red. Now the government has created a new company within the AENA group: AENA Airports, which works as a "client" for air navigation services even if they are provided by the same AENA. The company that holds the airports is the one to be privatized. Anyway, politicians have been trying to do this for at least 15 years without success.