Sir Richard Branson wants to buy English airport

Sir Richard Branson, the billionaire owner of airline Virgin Atlantic, has said he would be interested in bidding for London’s Gatwick airport.

Sir Richard Branson, the billionaire owner of airline Virgin Atlantic, has said he would be interested in bidding for London’s Gatwick airport.

An aide to Sir Richard said he was still at the thinking stage because the UK Competition Commission still had to release its final report on Britain’s airports industry.

Gatwick is Britain’s second-biggest airport.

A report in the Daily Telegraph newspaper recently said that Branson was planning to bid for Gatwick with an offer that could cost more than 2 billion pounds.

Branson has already held talks with potential partners, thought to include funds backed by the Dubai royal family, the Telegraph said.

Gatwick is owned by Spain’s Ferrovial airport unit BAA.

The UK Competition Commission ruled earlier this month that Ferrovial must sell three of seven British airports, including two of three London airports, Gatwick, Heathrow and Stansted.

Gatwick is not yet formally up for sale, and a final report from the Competition Commission is not expected until next year.

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Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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