Dutch firm in running for ownership of Glasgow Airport

Glasgow Airport could come under Dutch ownership following news that Schiphol Group, the company that runs Amsterdam Airport, has expressed an interest.

The Dutch firm said it would also be interested in Edinburgh and Aberdeen airports as well, if they are put up for sale in a similar way. BAA, the Spanish firm that currently runs the Scottish airports, is being forced to sell the sites in the wake of a Competition Commission report saying that BAA's ownership of so many sites was having a negative effect on the industry.

Schiphol's interest in Glasgow may affect the plans of some of the local councils in west Scotland, as industry speculation was indicating an attempted joint bid for the airport with Manchester Airport Group.

Current concerns are that a successful bid from Schiphol would see Glasgow become merely a feeding terminal for Amsterdam and that wider airport investment would not be a priority.

BAA's dominance of Scotland's airport infrastructure is thought to be negative for airliners and passengers alike.