Ryanair to bid for Stansted?

Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary has indicated an interest in acquiring Stansted airport from BAA for as much as £2 billion.

The outspoken budget airline boss, a long time critic of the airports operator, is quoted as saying he is convinced the Competition Commission will recommend a break up of BAA.

“We’d be in like a bandit,” he is quoted as saying in the Daily Telegraph last week.

“I’d take it up from 24 million passengers today to more than 40 million by halving landing fees for all.”

Stansted is Ryanair’s biggest hub accounting for more than 40 aircraft this summer. But O’Leary has openly attacked BAA’s planned £4 billion investment in the airport, claiming a second runway could cost £150 million and a second terminal £250 million.

Ryanair is reducing capacity at Stansted by 15 aircraft this winter in protest against high landing fees.

O’Leary suggests that as a result of the Competition Commission’s probe, BAA may have to offload each of London’s main airports – Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted.

BAA stressed that Stansted was not for sale.

by Phil Davies