BAA seeks permission to appeal to Supreme Court

BAA says it will appeal to the UK’s Supreme Court over the ongoing battle between it and the Competition Commission.

Earlier this year the airport company successfully challenged the Commission attempt to force BAA to sell two of its airports. The Competition Appeal Tribunal accepted BAA’s protest that there was “bias” in the Commission’s original decision because one member of its advisory panel, Professor Peter Moizer, was an adviser to Greater Manchester local authorities’ pension fund, which owned a potential purchaser of Gatwick, the Manchester Airport Group.

However, the Court of Appeal then overturned that ruling meaning the company faces having to sell London Stansted and either Glasgow or Edinburgh.

A BAA spokesman said: “We are disappointed that the Court of Appeal has upheld two of the five grounds argued by the Competition Commission. We note the Court’s view that apparent bias in relation to a panel member existed during part of the Commission’s investigation and will study this judgement carefully. We will be seeking permission to appeal to the Supreme Court.”

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