Ryanair criticizes decision by UK Competition Appeal tribunal on breakup of BAA
Ryanair today criticized the decision by the UK Competition Appeal Tribunal to overturn the previously made decision to break up the BAA monopoly and force the sale of Gatwick, Stansted and a Scottish airport.
Today's decision was made on the basis that there could have been an appearance of bias in the original decision since one of the six members of the Competition Commission had previously worked in an advisory capacity to the pension fund representing workers at Manchester Airport. As a result of today's decision the sale of Stansted Airport and a BAA owned Scottish airport will now be delayed for two years. The original decision to break up the BAA monopoly of the airports in the London area received an almost universal welcome when first announced. Ryanair intends to appeal today's decision and has urged the Court of Appeal to overturn the decision by the Competition Appeal Tribunal which was made on an apparent point of law rather than commercial sense. Ryanair has suggested that banning Manchester Airport from bidding for Stansted or a BAA controlled Scottish Airport would have been a more desirable solution to freezing the disposal of the BAA airports for up to two years.