BAA successful in bias claim

Airport owners BAA yesterday won its appeal against a previous ruling to sell a number of its airports.

The competition Commission had previously ordered BAA to sell Gatwick and Stansted airports, as well as either Glasgow or Edinburgh.

However, BAA argued that the panel had apparent bias due to one member having a ‘powerful connection’ to a party interested in buying an airport. It was claimed that Prof Peter Mozier, who sat on the commission, was in fact strongly connected to the Manchester Airport Group, who were later linked with the purchase of London Gatwick.

The tribunal for the case yesterday announced, “We have reached our conclusions on Ground 1 (the apparent bias) with the greatest reluctance”. However, it was also stated that there was no evidence to suggest Prof Mozier actually was biased.

Both BAA and the competition Commission have been invited to provide further feedback relating to the bias claim.