This listing includes international airport, construction and investment groups with significant business links and foreign airport holdings beyond their national boundaries. Data is compiled by Airline Business sister online service Air Transport Intelligence
After a relatively quiet period, deal-making in the airport ownership world is taking off again, most notably with the bid by acquisitive Macquarie Airports to buy Denmark’s primary hub Copenhagen. The Australian group, which has built up a substantial portfolio of assets in the airport field over the past few years, but is mostly reliant on its ownership of Sydney Kingsford Smith for its profits, wants to expand further in Europe.
The airport’s management has recommended to shareholders that they accept Macquarie’s offer, which values Copenhagen at $2.5 billion. If successful, taking control of Copenhagen will boost Macquarie’s presence in the UK. The Danish hub has a 49% stake in Newcastle, while Macquarie has stakes in Birmingham and Bristol airports.
However, Macquarie says it has pulled out of the running for another European airport – Budapest. The Hungarian government is looking to sell a 75% stake in its capital city airport. Groups led by BAA, Fraport and Hochtief have made bids.
Elsewhere in Europe, long-running plans to privatise Amsterdam Schiphol airport and Aeroports de Paris (ADP) are moving forward. The Dutch government has said it prefers a flotation for the Schiphol sell-off, although a firm timetable is yet to be revealed. The French authorities, on the other hand, say they intend to begin the privatisation process for ADP by mid-2006. One of the first steps was taken in July when it became a limited company.
Another large privatisation process is under way in Hong Kong, where the government is preparing an initial public offering for Hong Kong International airport, probably sometime during 2006.
There is a significant new name in this year’s listing of global groupings and the exit of another player. Abertis joins Aena and Ferrovial as large Spanish airport groups following the completion of its purchase of the UK’s TBI. However, PlaneStation Group, which owned or managed a series of small airports across Europe, has folded. Its largest airport, the UK’s Kent International, has been bought by New Zealand’s Infratil, which already has a majority stake in Glasgow Prestwick.
DATA COMPILED BY TREVOR MOUNTFORD/KELLY MALCHER AIR TRANSPORT INTELLIGENCE
Source: Airline Business
