Ryanair calls for break-up of “BAA monopoly”

Ryanair renewed its call for a break-up of the Spanish owned BAA airport monopoly following the opening of Heathrow’s Terminal 5 which Ryanair states has exposed more BAA incompetence, mismanagement and gold plating.

Ryanair’s CEO Michael O’Leary said:

“The security queues, flight delays and baggage chaos endured by passengers at Heathrow’s T5 are symptomatic of widespread failure common at many BAA airports including Stansted and Gatwick where passengers routinely suffer long queues at security and passport control as well as repeated baggage belt breakdowns. This abject customer service continues at the BAA airports because the CAA’s regulatory regime has repeatedly failed to protect the needs of users because it is too busy rewarding the BAA with price increases.

"This morning’s chaos at Heathrow provides further compelling evidence of the need to break up the BAA monopoly. We should allow competition between the London airports to deliver more efficient facilities, better passenger service and lower costs where the BAA airport monopoly has failed.

"If the BAA London airport monopoly was split up, competition would deliver better services and efficient terminals which actually work as opposed to complicated Taj Mahals like Heathrow’s T5. It is high time to break up this BAA airport monopoly."