Posts Tagged ‘stansted airport’

Today is the final day for companies interested in purchasing Gatwick Airport to throw their hats in the ring.

BAA is expected to receive three serious offers, which are rumoured to be for less than the £2 billion estimates suggested last year.  The interested parties are understood to be groups including General Electric, Manchester Airport and Vancouver Airport.

The Competition Commission ordered BAA to sell off Gatwick, Stansted and one of their Scottish airports last year, after an inquiry found that travellers were suffering due to a lack of competition between airports.  BAA has until the 19th of May to appeal against the Commission’s decision.

In a provisional decision announced today, the Competition Commission has advised BAA to sell Gatwick, Stansted and Edinburgh Airports.

BAA, who put Gatwick up for sale after the Commission’s initial report in August, have stated they believe there is no compelling evidence that Stansted should be sold.  They’ve also added that there was no justification for specifying which airport in Scotland should be sold.

There are several international firms who are said to be interested in purchasing Gatwick, and Virgin Atlantic has said it is preparing a bid as part of a consortium.

The Competition Commission is considering responses to today’s provisional decision, and will publish their final report in late February or early March.

Thinking of travelling over the Bank holiday?

We have been informed that there could be severe disruption if you are flying from Gatwick or Stansted Airport. Unions have said that baggage handlers and check-in staff at Gatwick and Stansted Airport are going on strike on Bank Holiday Monday 25th 2008 for 24 hours in a row over pay.

At Gatwick Airport, 318 Swissport workers will walk out, halting services at some airlines. A second strike is planned for Friday 29 August 2008 also.

After staff were offered a 3% pay offer it was rejected by Unite Union due to being below inflation – they said it was “an insult”. Workers from two unions at Stansted Airport also have voted to strike as well. Unite have hinted that industrial action could spread to other airports in the forth coming weeks.

Unite members working for Swissport at Stansted Airport will be joined by 30 members of the GMB union when they walk out on Monday 25th August 2008 and possibly Friday 29th August 2008.

If delays are imminent, it does not mean you have to completely cancel your plans, just check that you have a decent level of travel insurance that covers baggage delays and airport disruption.

UPDATE ON BAGGAGE STRIKE…

The strikes planned by airport workers that would have caused Bank Holiday travel misery have finally been called off. The dispute involved airport services business Swissport, and cabin staff and baggage handlers who are members of the Unite and GMB unions.

It would have affected Gatwick, Stansted and Manchester airports.

After hours of talks at conciliation service Acas, both unions suspended the planned strikes.