London, 16 September (Argus) — Airport operator BAA is launching a new challenge to the UK Competition Commission's 2009 ruling that it must sell London Stansted, Edinburgh or Glasgow airport.
The original ruling claimed that BAA's ownership of London's airports was holding back runway-capacity development in southeast England.
The commission confirmed its position in July, following BAA's first appeal, and gave the operator three months to initiate a sale process. This first appeal claimed that the ruling had become irrelevant following the UK government's decision to halt airport-expansion plans.
BAA's latest challenge, while relating specifically to Stansted, may also have the effect of delaying the potential sale of one of the Scottish airports. The challenge builds on the one made in July by stating that the commission had failed adequately to consider “whether there had been material changes of circumstances” since the original decision in 2009.
BAA sold London Gatwick airport in 2009 as a result of the ruling.
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