=20 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- This article was sent to you by someone who found it on SFGate. The original article can be found on SFGate.com here: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=3D/n/a/2008/12/17/financial/= f003406S65.DTL --------------------------------------------------------------------- Wednesday, December 17, 2008 (AP) UK panel says BAA should sell 3 airports (12-17) 06:26 PST LONDON, United Kingdom (AP) -- BAA Ltd. should be forced to sell two airports serving London and one in Scotland, the government's anti-monopoly agency said Wednesday. The Competition Commission said that, subject to a final consultation, B= AA will be required to sell Gatwick and Stansted airports, which serve London, and Edinburgh airport. It did not lay out a timetable for disposing of the properties. BAA chief executive Colin Matthews said the company would continue to resist. BAA, owned by a consortium headed by Grupo Ferrovial S.A. of Spain, would be allowed to retain Heathrow Airport, the busiest terminal in Europe, and airports in Aberdeen, Scotland, and Southampton in England. The commission said it was undecided about the future of BAA's airport serving Glasgow. "The most effective way to introduce competition in the Southeast and in lowland Scotland is to require the three London airports and the two principal Scottish airports to be separately owned," said Christopher Clarke, who chaired the airports inquiry. "Under the common ownership of BAA, there is no competition. Under separate ownership, the airport operators, including BAA, will have a much greater incentive to be far more responsive to their customers, both airlines and passengers," Clarke added. Matthews said BAA did not believe the Competition Commission had set out compelling evidence that its decisions would increase competition. "We remain concerned that its proposed remedies may actually delay the introduction of new runway capacity," said Matthews. The Competition Commission said it would announce a final decision in la= te February or early March. ___ On the Net: Competition Commission, www.competition-commission.org.uk BAA Ltd., www.baa.com --------------------------------------------------= -------------------- Copyright 2008 AP <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> If you wish to unsubscribe from the AIRLINE List, please send an E-mail to: "listserv@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx". Within the body of the text, only write the following:"SIGNOFF AIRLINE".