Manchester Airports Group has announced it is planning to expand its operations.
Published on: 16 February 2012
Passengers who are planning a trip to America in the coming months may be interested to hear recent plans announced by Manchester Airports Group (MAG), which is the parent company of the north-west aviation facility.
The body, which includes East Midlands, Bournemouth and Humberside buildings, has hinted that it is looking into purchasing another UK establishment as part of wider expansion plans, reports BBC News.
Although it did not disclose which airports it is set to put in a bid for, the recent announcement of the sale of Stansted and Edinburgh facilities suggests MAG will opt for either of these locations.
"MAG is aiming high to strengthen its position as one of the leading airport operators in the country," said a joint statement by Manchester City Council - which owns 55 per cent of the group - and the nine other authorities that have five per cent each.
The notice added: "MAG is already a key driver of jobs and growth in the North of England, but these proposals would allow the group to strengthen this position and deliver maximum value for the local authority shareholders."
While the process of selecting a new partner is expected to take several months, the organisation announced it is now inviting private equity investors to submit proposals for the upcoming deal.
The move comes after fellow airport operator BAA was ordered to put Gatwick, Stansted and either Glasgow or Gatwick on the market due to its dominance in London and Scotland.
In an interview with the Financial Times last month, Charlie Cornish - chief executive of MAG - outlined a number of future plans that are set to take place at Manchestr Airport, while he did not rule out a part-privatisation deal to raise funds for future acquisitions.
Mr Cornish went on to say the facility is "unlikely" to join in the bidding war for Edinburgh's aviation establishment because it is too small to suit the organisation's needs.