Break up BAA's monopoly to make passengers' life better
Posted, April 22, 2008 @ 00:00
Conservative MEP urges the Competition Commission to open up airport ownership to full competition for the benefit of passengers
Strasbourg, 22nd April 2008 -- Timothy Kirkhope MEP, Conservative Spokesman on Transport and Tourism in the European Parliament has said that it is high time that BAA faced full and open competition in order to overturn the systemically unacceptable service provided to passengers. His call comes on the day that the Competition Commission identified possible competition issues in relation to the BAA's ownership of UK airports.
Mr Kirkhope said:
"BAA is a monopoly of monoplies when it comes to providing airport facilities. Recent events suggest that it is not in the interests of the travelling public or the airlines to keep this status quo.
"Because BAA has a dominant role in the operation of airports in south east England - and also in Scotland - there is very often little choice for the travelling public in the facilities they use.
"I hope that the Competition Commission, when it publishes its final report, will reach the conclusion that there needs to be a refreshment in the ownership of these airports and true competition between them and in relation to their sources of investment for the future."