Manchester Airport Group still planning Gatwick bid
Ferry Online Travel News 01/01/2009
The Manchester Airport Group (MAG) is determined to meet the January deadline for submitting a bid on Gatwick airport.
It is reported that the group remains confident that it will find the financial backing it needs in order to make a bid of approximately £1.8bn for Gatwick.
MAG is leading a consortium that will compete with Hochtief AirPort and Citigate Infrastructure, both having already declared their intent to bid on the airport.
There has been speculation that the Manchester group has teamed up Canadian pension fund Borealis and is now looking for a third and possibly fourth member for its consortium. It has been reported that MAG is currently in discussions with interested overseas parties as it prepares to submit a first round bid by the deadline on 19 January.
If MAG is unable to find the need financial backing, it is almost certain that it will bid on one of BAA’s airports in Scotland – either Edinburgh or Glasgow – and may bid even if its consortium is successful with Gatwick.
"The only thing that can throw the bid for Gatwick off course is not getting an additional investor, but the group is extremely confident of attracting one or possibly two, and everyone is working flat out to achieve this," a source close to MAG said.
← Scottish Greens leader reconsiders rail link | Index | Passengers made redundant covered on Flybe →