Is Richard Branson Looking At Gatwick Airport?
As news that the regulator will force BAA to sell a number of its UK airports continues to sink in it seems that Virgin Atlantic Airways may well be stepping forward as a possible bidder for Gatwick Airport. We may have the very strange situation of a major airline controlling a major UK airport and having access to data on competitors in the airline sector. Could this happen?
While Virgin Atlantic would only be able to bid as part of a consortium it seems as though they may look to chat with other groups which have shown an interest including Hochtief AG, Fraport AG, Manchester Airports Group to name but a few. Branson believes that he has the client services skills to make it happen in conjunction with other groups and it is worth noting that Virgin Atlantic already has a holding in National Air Traffic Control Services through a consortium deal.
Any bid for Gatwick would probably need to be in excess of £3 billion which is a substantial investment by any standards, not to mention the additional funding which would be required to expand and improve the services at the airport. Richard Branson has a habit of making things happen and while it may seem a very strange move on paper it would increase his influence and exposure to the UK airline industry and all sub-sectors associated with it.
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