Actually, though not as strongly as David, I agree that there is no part of the transport infrastructure that should be foreign operated. In fact, it is not only foreign operation that should be forbidden, private operation of inherently governmental things should not be allowed. This includes things like ports, both air and sea, as well as roads (including the aforementioned toll roads) etc. This goes from security, safety and economic standpoint as subsidizing the profits of private companies that are no more efficient (in fact, less efficent) than the government just ends up costing all of us money. As LAWA has shown, government agencies can be at least as, if not more efficient, than private operators. Look at the nightmare that is the London airport system, with the big 3 airports: Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted all operated by BAA after being essentially handed the airfields by the government. It simply doesn't work. Alireza -----Original Message----- From: David MR <damiross3@xxxxxxxxxxx> To: AIRLINE@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Sent: Tue, 6 Jun 2006 15:38:29 +0000 Subject: Re: BAA UAE, Spain, UK, Andorra, The Vatican, I don't give a damn. It's absurd and a threat to the national security for an airport in America to be operated by foreigners! Go ahead, call me a racist. I'm not, I'm an American and I am frigging tired of the politicians allowing this bullshit to happen. David -------------- Original message ---------------------- From: "Agarwalla, Niraj" <Niraj.Agarwalla@xxxxxxx> > I can only imagine the reaction it the buyers were from the UAE instead > of Spain a la the port fiasco. > > -- > Niraj Agarwalla > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: The Airline List [mailto:AIRLINE@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of > Blaine Thompson > Sent: Tuesday, June 06, 2006 8:11 AM > To: AIRLINE@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > Subject: BAA > > > *Top of the news* > *Indianapolis airport operator bought by Spanish firm* > BAA, the British operator of Indianapolis International Airport, is=20 > being bought for $19 billion by Ferrovial, the Spanish company that's=20 > leasing the Indiana Toll Road in partnership with an Australian bank.=20 > The Ferrovial group bid against another consortium for the right to buy=20 > publicly traded BAA, based in London. Ferrovial, owned by founder Rafael > > del Pino y Moreno and his family, also leases the Chicago Skyway. > > (Source: This morning's Indianapolis Star newspaper e-mail) > > - Blaine ________________________________________________________________________ Check out AOL.com today. Breaking news, video search, pictures, email and IM. All on demand. Always Free.