BAA has announced it plans to sell one of its Scottish Airports.
The airport operator and owner was told by the Competition Commission earlier this year that it must sell either Glasgow or Edinburgh airport.
Edinburgh Airport will be put on the market in the New Year, said Colin Matthews, BAA’s CEO with the hope it will be sold by summer 2012.
“Edinburgh is a great airport with a great team and a great future and we will be very sorry to see it leave BAA,” he said.
Making the decision of which airport to sell has been “difficult”, said Matthews.
Edinburgh was chosen as it is a “strong and resilient asset”, he said.
“Passenger numbers at Edinburgh have grown by more than 6% over the past year and in an uncertain market we expect it to be an attractive asset to prospective buyers.”
BAA has vigorously opposed the CC’s decision to force a sale of two of its airports – in July Matthews described it as “unreasonably draconion".
Despite losing Edinburgh, Matthews said BAA will “remain committed to Scotland”, where it also owns Aberdeen and Glasgow airports.
He said Glasgow Airport in particular has “great opportunities for future growth and development”.
BAA continues to try and stop the forced sale of Stansted, however, having launched a judicial review in September.