German Firm Interested In Buying Gatwick Airport

August 22, 2008 10:03 a.m. EST

Essen, Germany (AHN) - Hoctief has expressed interest in acquiring Gatwick airport amid pressure from the British Competition Commission for U.K. airport operator BAA to divest itself two of three airports in England.

Hoctief is Germany's largest construction firm with subsidiaries in the U.S. and Australia. A company spokeswoman said Hoctief would also be interested in purchasing other BAA-managed gateways if these would be placed on the block.

Aside from Gatwick, U.K.'s second largest airport, Hoctief is studying the purchase of airports in Riga, Latvia; St. Petersburg, Russia; and Prague, Czech Republic.

The commission recommended Wednesday for BAA to sell two of three airports it runs in England and one of two in Scotland. BAA officials have to decide if they will give up Heathrow, Gatwick or Stansted in England and Edinburgh or Glasgow in Scotland.

The commission will issue its final decision in April. It blamed the undivided ownership of U.K. gateways for the air congestion problems besetting Britain.