We want our Gatwick Airport Car Parking site to be as informative as possible. We are therefore adding various news stories concerning Gatwick, which we hope you will find interesting:

Virgin Atlantic and Air Jamaica end code share agreement                             June 15 2010

THE code share agreement between Air Jamaica and Virgin Atlantic Airways has been terminated. This agreement under which Air Jamaica booked passengers on flights operated by Virgin Atlantic between Jamaica and London Gatwick Airport  had been in place since 2007.

“The airlines have agreed to continue the partnership in their frequent flyer programmes allowing passengers on any one airline to earn and redeem miles on the other,” said a press release from the airline. “Members of the Air Jamaica 7th Heaven Rewards programme will therefore continue to enjoy the benefits of travel on Virgin Atlantic.”

“Both parties have decided that it is in our best interests to end the code share agreement at this time,” said Bruce Nobles, Air Jamaica’s President and CEO. “For three years it was a good fit for us, but now our strategic focus is the transition of Air Jamaica to Caribbean Airlines and the development of our markets in the US and the Caribbean.”

With immediate effect, Air Jamaica’s bookings will be transferred to Virgin, and passengers will be individually contacted with details.

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New Shareholders for Gatwick Airport                                             June 15 2010

The new owners of Gatwick Airport, Global Infrastructure Partners, who bought Gatwick Airport from British Airports Authority last year, have wasted no time in selling stakes to various International Investors.

The latest news is that Calpers, a major United States pension fund has purchased a 12.7 stake in Gatwick Airport for around $155 million.

Global Infrastructure Partners have already sold stakes in Gatwick Airport to the Abu Dhabi Investment Fund and the National Pension Service of South Korea.

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Passenger Numbers fall at Gatwick Airport                                    June 12 2010

A year on year comparison of passenger numbers passsing through Gatwick Airport fell by 4.1% in May 2010.

The worst hit services were transatlantic flights, which fell by 27%.

The decline in passenger numbers was blamed on various factors, including disruptions caused by the Icelandic volcantic ash cloud, and the general effects of the recession. Major airlines have also made reductions in services from Gatwick Airport.

On the positive side, Gatwick Airport was not affected by the series of strikes by British Airways cabin crew, as Gatwick based staff continued to work normally.

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New Airside Buses for Gatwick Airport                                                                June 3 2010

12 new Mercedes Citaro buses are being introduced by National Express at Gatwick Airport. The buses are fully airconditioned, and will be used to ferry passengers between the two Gatwick Airport terminals and aircrafts.

National Express say that there will be upwards of 450 bus movements a year. Andy Evans, of National Express, added "Our new vehicles provide an improved passenger experience with air conditioning, extra room and brand new interiors while also helping to reduce carbon emissions at Gatwick. The investment emphasises our commitment to providing the best possible transport service for passengers and staff at the airport.”

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No Second runway for Gatwick Airport                                                 June 3 2010

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Search on for new models at Gatwick Airport                                      June 3 2010

Gatwick Airport is putting on a Fashion Week  North terminal on August 5 to 8. Several fashion events have been held at Gatwick Airport, with great success.

The well known Model Agency Storm will be looking for suitable candidates, who will then appear on the catwalk during August fashion show.

New Virgin Airways plane unveiled at Gatwick Airport                          June 1 2010

Americans just love theme parks, and a " Wizarding World of Harry Potter" park is about to open in Orlando. In celebration, Virgin Airways unveiled a newly designed airplane at Gatwick last week.

The plane pays homage to the new Wizarding World of Harry Potter with the theme park’s logo emerging from a cloud of smoke emblazoned on the side.

When it opens next month, visitors to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter will be able to visit some of the famous shops in the book, including Zonko’s joke shop and Dervish and Banks in the village of Hogsmeade.

There will also be a replica of the Hogwarts castle, featuring the ride Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey.

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New Passenger Advisory Group at Gatwick Airport                                     May 26 2010

Gatwick Airport Managers are  calling on regular flyers to join part of an advisory group to help improve the experience for travellers at the Airport.GATCOM’s Passenger Advisory Group (PAG) has 15 members in total which attend the airport three days every three months to assess the facilities and make recommendations for improvements. An airport spokesman said that it is looking for those who travel regularly or are involved in the aviation or customer service industry, particularly those who may have mobility problems.

Peter Hall, chairman of PAG, said: "Our members help shape all kinds of projects at the airport such as the new shuttle between terminals, new plans for check-in areas, facilities for passengers with reduced mobility, wayfinding signage and the development of the airport's website."

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Gatwick Airport Service under threat                                                  May 26 2010

Iraqi Airways has been operating a service from Gatwick Airport to Iraq. The Airline is owned by the Iraqi Goverments, and reports indicate that the airline is bankrupt and facing closure.

The problem is Kuwait, the next door neighbour.Kuwait who are demanding more than a billion dollars in reparations from Iraqi Airways for the alleged theft of a number of airplanes and spare parts, stolen, they say, when Saddam Hussein invaded the country in 1990.

Iraqi Airlines does not own any aircraft, operating with aircraft leased from a Swedish company. In fact, the Government of Kuwait attempted to impound the fiurst aircraft to fly into London, but could not do so as the airplane did not belong to Iraqi Airways.

The Gatwick Airport to Iraq service continues to operate, but the future is unclear.

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Gatwick Airport Not Affected by BA strikes                                         May 26 2010

British Airways has announced that all services in and out of London Gatwick Airport are operating normally, and are not affected by the current industrial action by some British Airways cabin crew.

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BAA lost £277 million on forced sale of Gatwick Airport                          February 22 2010

BAA was forced by the UK Government Competitions Commission to sell Gatwick Airport.

Financial statements released by BAA show that they lost £277 million on the sale

No British Airways strike at Easter                                                      January 22 2010

Passengers flying from Gatwick Airport will be pleased to learn that there will be no British Airways strike at Easter.

New Gatwick Airport owners criticised                                              January 18 2010

The new owner of Gatwick Airport have come under fire for not keeping the the airport open during the recent bad weather. Gatwick is said to compare badly with Heathrow.More than 438 flights were cancelled.

Well, the honymoon did not last long

Aer Lingus to reduce flights from Gatwick Airport                          January 11 2010

Reports in the press and from cheap flight and hotel specialists airflights.co.uk indicate that Irish carrier Aer Lingus is slashing the number of flights it operates from its base at Gatwick south terminal, just a year after creating a presence at the airport.

The airline announced this week that it will reduce the number of Airbus A320 aircraft based at London Gatwick from five down to three by the end of the first quarter of 2010. This move will signal a reduction in the number of destinations accessible from Gatwick Airport with Aer Lingus.

Aer Lingus management put the decision down to weak consumer demand and continuing challenges in the UK operating environment, which have impacted aviation sector performance generally.

More flights cancelled at Gatwick Airport                                        January 7 2010

Budget airline easyJet cancelled about 70 flights in and out of Gatwick Airport while British Airways scrapped a number of flights with more delayed due to icy conditions at both Heathrow and Gatwick.

At Gatwick Airport there were 136 cancellations and only two planes an hour arriving.

More weather delays at Gatwick Airport                                        January 7 2010

Passengers waiting for flights from Gatwick Airport have been facing more delays because of the snow, with some due to spend a second night at the airport.

Hundreds of passengers spent Wednesday night sleeping at the airport after more than 400 flights were cancelled.

On Thursday, a total of 136 inbound and outbound flights were scrapped.

Budget airline EasyJet had to cancel more than 100 flights and British Airways was among other carriers that had to abandon some services.

Airport staff spent the day de-icing stands and walkways to make it safe for passengers.

Gatwick Airport has urged passengers to contact their airline for information.

In a statement, it said it remained open but with some disruption to flight arrivals and delays to departures.

"We are working hard to keep the runway clear, although the threat of more snow and ice remains.

"Some airlines are operating very restricted services, however, and we strongly advise passengers to contact their airline before setting out for the airport.

"We regret the disruption caused to our passengers' travel plans, but the safety and security of aircraft and passengers are our number one priority."

Gatwick Airport security praised                                           November 23 2009

Nearly one million passengers have used the latest face scanning technology at Britain's airports, the Home Secretary, Alan Johnson announced today.

He confirmed the figure while visiting the state-of-the-art facial recognition gates at Gatwick Airport's North Terminal. More than 950,000 passengers have used the secure self-service gates which scan biometric details and then check them against a range of watch lists before allowing the passengers to enter the country.

The facial recognition gates offer legitimate passengers the choice between queuing at traditional, staffed passport controls and using the self-service gates. More than 50,000 passengers have used the gates at Gatwick since their introduction in August 2009.

he gates take seconds to scan each passenger's face against the digital photo recorded in their passport. If there is a match, the e-passport gates open, to allow the traveller across the border. The gates are staffed by UK Border Agency officers who examine any passengers rejected by the gate, as well as making manual checks where appropriate.

The technology has already proved popular and successful at Birmingham, Manchester, Stansted, Cardiff and Bristol Airports.

Speaking on his visit, Home Secretary Alan Johnson said:

"Facial recognition technology speeds up the passage of legitimate travellers through immigration control, allowing UK Border Agency officers to focus on high risk travellers and goods. Our investment in the latest technology, which I have seen here today at Gatwick, means we continue to be at the forefront of border security.

"We have also introduced fingerprint visas, checking those wanting to enter the UK against immigration and crime databases, and compulsory ID cards for foreign nationals. In addition, the e-Borders system allows the UK Border Agency to count people in and out of the country and target terrorist suspects, criminals and would-be illegal immigrants before they can reach the UK."

Facial recognition is just one of many technologies at use within Gatwick Airport to secure the border. Other technology includes Cyclamen, which detects radiation in cargo at the border and Braun Conpass, a full body scanner which enables the UK Border Agency to see if a passenger is carrying illegal weapons or drugs on their person.

Since January this year, technology used in customs checks at ports has helped in the seizure of illegal drugs worth over £157 million.

On his visit, the Home Secretary met frontline UK Border Agency staff, as well as detection dogs responsible for stopping smuggled goods such as drugs, cash and endangered species. Since January this year, UK border Agency officers working at UK Ports and Airports have seized in excess of 447 million smuggled cigarettes - representing a potential loss of more than £87 million in tax revenue and illegal drugs worth over £212 million.
 
Andy Flower, managing director for London Gatwick Airport, said:

"The introduction of the e-Passport system at London Gatwick Airport will provide a more efficient process for passengers entering the country

"The Home Office has enhanced the use of technology which will help speed people through immigration controls, whilst keeping our borders safe and secure."

Nurse caught with cannabis at Gatwick Airport                           November 20 2009

A nurse from Wolverhampton who is studying for a degree at the city’s university was caught smuggling £50,000 worth of cannabis through Gatwick Airport.

Vivine Smith, 27, tried to bluff Customs officers by claiming the suitcase she had with her was not hers.

But the pregnant mother-of-one eventually pleaded guilty to unlawful importation of more than 17 kilos of the drug in herbal form.

She was given a 12-month jail sentence, suspended for a year, at Croydon Crown Court yesterday.

Debt-ridden Smith, of Pond Lane, Blakenhall, landed in England from Montego Bay on July 12 with her four-year-old daughter. She had three suitcases and was stopped in the Nothing to Declare green channel.

She told Customs officers one of the cases was not hers, despite having a tag with her name and address on it. Mr Alastair Smith, prosecuting, said: “The case was found to contain packages of tightly-wrapped cannabis.”

Gatwick Airport Numbers on the rise                            November 16 2009

Gatwick Airport have reason to smile after recent passenger numbers indicate the first sign of growth in over a year. According to Redhill and Reigate Life, more than 2.8 million passengers used London Gatwick Airport during October 2009.The figures for the passengers at Gatwick a year ago for the same month came to 2.77 million.Andy Flower, Gatwick's managing director, told the publication: “It is fantastic that October saw an increase over last year in the number of people flying to and from the airport.We have attracted new growth in the European scheduled market, with Aer Lingus starting a new base here, and Flybe's UK programme has also seen an increase in passengers.

“New routes introduced by easyJet, Ryanair, British Airways, Aer Lingus and Norwegian this winter all show how popular London Gatwick Airport is with both airlines and their passengers.”

Flower added that the news confirms that the London airport can compete with other airports and that they can look forward to more growth in time to come.

Here at Gatwick Airport car parking, we hope the improvement continues

Carjack incident at Gatwick Airport                                                November 5 2009

Limousine hiring services/companies, taxi driver and chauffeur hiring companies must be warned from an incident that happened within London Gatwick Airport last month. A GMB Member has been assaulted and injured as two men, in their twenties, carjacked his Mercedes chauffeur vehicle last month. One of the men struck a blow to the rear of the vehicle. The chauffeur driver, who was about to leave to pick up a passenger from the airport, got out to investigate.

 As he was dealing with the men at the rear of the vehicle, a second man jumped into the driver’s seat and started to drive the vehicle away. The chauffeur attempted to stop him and was dragged by the moving vehicle for some distance before he lost his grip. He suffered minor injuries and he was treated in hospital. The victim was working at Gatwick Airport for a chauffeur company, he is currently unable to work due to his injuries. The stolen Mercedes S-Class car was later involved in a police chase. It was subsequently recovered after it had been crashed into a brick wall in West London. There are witnesses to the carjacking.

 Terence Flanagan, GMB Professional Driver Branch Secretary said ‘this vicious attack on our member and the carjacking of his vehicle comes days after GMB warned of the increasing violence being meted out by the public to professional drivers. GMB wants to see coordinated action by everybody involved in the industry to minimise and eliminate the avoidable risks to which members are exposed. GMB also wants to see CCTV in passenger vehicles and in the places where the cars wait for passengers. GMB wants to see the specialist insurance companies who deal with professional drivers amending their insurance policies to cover the full gamut of the damages to drivers, their vehicles and their livelihoods that are now commonplace in the industry. GMB will be seeking meetings with the relevant bodies to learn the lessons from this carjacking

BA launces flight from Gatwick Airport to Sharm El Sheikh                   November 1 2009

British Airways has launched a new direct flight route from Gatwick Airport to popular Red Sea resort Sharm El Sheikh.

Being a top holiday destination known for its pristine beaches and renowned dive sites, Sharm El Sheikh route makes a comeback with British Airways.

British Airways new flight route will be carried out by a Boeing 777 aircraft offering passengers a three-class configuration: World Traveller, World Traveller Plus and Club World.

'The relaunch of British Airways flights to Sharm El Sheikh links the top leisure destinations in both Egypt and the UK, opening the door to a whole new world of holiday travel experiences for our passengers,” Mervat Alfy, country commercial manager for British Airways in Egypt.

“As one of the top tourism sites in Egypt and around the world, Sharm El Sheikh is a key destination not only for British Airways, but for our valued clients and for the tourism industry in Egypt.'

British Ariways flies a daily Cairo-London Heathrow route and the decision to use Gatwick airport as a destination for the new route is mainly for its popularity among leisure travelers, making it the ideal choice for the Sharm El Sheikh flight.

Welcome for Gatwick Airport sale                                                October 22 2009

Advisory body Gatwick Airport Consultative Committee (GATCOM) has welcomed this week's announcement of the sale of the airport.

GATCOM chairman Dr John Godfrey said his committee looked forward to working with the new owner, Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP).

But he stressed they understood that the building of a second runway at the airport is not a priority.

Dr Godfrey said the more-than £1.5 billion sale to the US-based investment fund would “end a period of uncertainty.”

Dr Godfrey said: “I welcome the news of the sale, which will bring to an end a period of uncertainty for the company, its staff and business partners.”

He said: “As the statutory advisory committee for the airport, we look forward to working closely with GIP to see the ‘new’ Gatwick develop.”

He said: “GATCOM has a good relationship with the Gatwick management team, who are always keen to hear our views and thoughts about the operation of the airport.”

Speaking on Wednesday, Dr Godfrey said: “As it happens, GATCOM’s annual tour of the airport and our quarterly meeting take place tomorrow, and we will hear first-hand what the sale will mean.

“As we are all aware, current government policy is that the development of a second runway at Gatwick is not a priority. “That position is reinforced by the acceptance on all sides of the legal agreement between Gatwick and West Sussex County Council that means no new runway can be built before 2019.”

He said: “GATCOM has a strong interest, and a remit, in ensuring the airport, is operated efficiently and effectively, having particular regard to its impact on surrounding communities and the environment.”

GATCOM has 28 appointed representatives from a wide range of interests including local authorities, civil aviation, passenger, business and community and environmental groups.

A Government representative is present at the main GATCOM meetings, together with Gatwick Airport’s managing director and the senior management team.

GATCOM's aims include building interest, communication and understanding between the airport and its users, local residents and the business community.

The group considers airport issues concerned with the environment, surface access, employment, the economy and the circumstances of local communities.

It works with the airport to secure a sustainable development strategy, to protect and enhance the interests of passengers and other users of the airport, considers and comments on matters referred to it by Gatwick Airport Ltd, and looks at and responds to consultations from Government and other sources relevant to the operation and future development of the airport.

Expanded BA service at Gatwick Airport                                      October 21 2009

British Airways customers will soon be able to take advantage of an extended early bag check-in service at Gatwick Airport.

Until now, passengers have had the option to drop off their bag the day before their flight if their departure was scheduled before 15:15 the next day.

When British Airways' winter schedule gets underway on October 25th, however, the airline will allow travellers to check in hold luggage between 16:00 and 22:00 for all flights set to leave Gatwick Airport the following day.

Customers will therefore have the option to drop their bag off the day before they travel, use the carrier's online check-in service and head straight to the departure lounge when they arrive at the airport.

The early bag check-in option has already proved popular and the extension of the service is expected to be welcomed by passengers.

New Gatwick Airport owners already being warned by protestors.      October 21 2009

No sooner was the announcement of the sale of Gatwick Airport announced, there were warnings posted to the new owners.

The new owner of Gatwick airport must not "ride roughshod" over the local community, the head of the area's conservation group said today.

There were now concerns that "a faceless international consortium will squeeze every pound it can out of the airport rather than addressing local worries", added Brendon Sewill, chairman of the Gatwick Area Conservation Campaign.

He went on: "We would like to establish at once a good working relationship with the new owners.

"They have to realise that there is in place a strong combination of a conservation campaign group and very supportive local authorities and local MPs."

Mr Sewill added: "We are concerned about noise and pollution and climate change. There are plans to expand the North Terminal at Gatwick to allow for an extra five million passengers a year. We are fighting to ensure that this does not increase noise levels."

Gatwick is bound by a long-standing regulation that there be no second runway before 2019.

Mr Sewill said: "There are other local agreements concerning the airport. We just hope that the new owners will continue the relationship between the airport and the local community."

Andy Flower, managing director of Gatwick Airport, said: "Today's announcement is a landmark day for the airport, our staff, airlines and business partners, members of the local community and of course, the 34 million passengers who choose to fly through Gatwick each year.

"We now look forward to working with Global Infrastructure Partners to maximise the potential of Gatwick."

Stephen Joseph, director of the Campaign for Better Transport, said: "We hope that this news will mean that there will be better service for passengers at Gatwick than that provided by BAA.

"We don't think this should be a green light for expansion at Gatwick. For many reasons, we are opposed to expansion of south east England airports.

"We think Gatwick should be better, not bigger."

Paul Charles, director of communications at Virgin Atlantic Airways, said: "As the largest long-haul airline using the airport, we look forward to working with Global Infrastructure Partners on making Gatwick even better for our passengers.

"For years, the airport has suffered from a lack of investment and the new owner now needs to work closely with the airline users to turn Gatwick into a world-class facility.

"We don't want to see the creation of another BAA and hope GIP listens carefully to the views of airlines about future development."

Bob Atkinson, of travelsupermarket.com, said: "I question whether the new owners have the experience and skills to give customers what they want at Gatwick - namely, a much-improved service.

"On paper, the Manchester Airport Group would have been better owners. GIP is an investment fund which does not necessarily have the full range of experience."

He went on: "Our research shows that people who use Gatwick want to see a reduction in queue times and a much smoother progress through the airport. I just wonder if they are really going to get what they need."

Shadow transport secretary Theresa Villiers said: "We have long been calling for the break-up of BAA's monopoly over so much airport capacity in south east England so we welcome progress in taking that forward.

"However, it is vital that the new owners strive to improve the service customers receive and also work with local communities to minimise the airport's environmental impact."

A British Airways spokesman said: "It is regulation not ownership that matters. We want to see Gatwick run as efficiently as possible while maintaining the highest levels of customer service for passengers and airlines.

"We look forward to working with the new owners."

Andy Harrison, chief executive of low-fare airline easyJet, said: "We welcome this change in ownership and look forward to working with GIP.

"Regardless of who owns Gatwick, it is still a monopoly. Therefore it is vital that Gatwick is properly regulated to protect airline passengers from the new owners exploiting their market power.

"It is vital that the Government's review of airport regulation produces a tougher and more effective system than the current discredited one, which has contributed so much to the poor state of London's airports."

Another of the budget carriers - Ryanair - said it welcomed the sale of Gatwick "as the first step in the much-needed break-up of the BAA airport monopoly".

Friends of the Earth's aviation campaigner, Richard Dyer, said: "The new owners of Gatwick should be under no illusions, the challenge of preventing dangerous climate change means that further expansion of the airport cannot be permitted.

"UK emissions must fall by at least 42 per cent by 2020 if we are to play our part in slashing emissions. This means that new runways cannot be contemplated, regardless of who owns Gatwick."

John Burroughes, managing director of Brighton-based the Uniglobe Preferred Travel company, said: "Having watched the slow erosion of services at Gatwick, particularly long-haul flight destinations, I believe this sale is excellent news for travellers and for the south-east economy in general.

"If the new owner begins a much-needed programme of inward investment at the airport, it will generate new jobs locally and improve the overall customer server experience for travellers."

New Owners will invest in Gatwick Airport                                    October 21 2009

Britain's second-biggest airport will have new owners within weeks following a £1.51 billion deal announced today.

Gatwick's current operator BAA, heavily criticised for its stewardship of the West Sussex airport, said it had reached an agreement with US-based investment fund Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP).

GIP, which already owns London City Airport which handles around 32 million customers a year, immediately promised passengers improved services.

But environmental groups said they feared the sale could become a green light for a "damaging" expansion at Gatwick Airport. Airlines said they hoped the new owners would work closely with them to improve the travelling experience for passengers.

There was immediate speculation that GIP would seek planning permission for a second runway at Gatwick - something that is prohibited before 2019 under a long-standing local agreement. However, a spokesman for GIP said a new runway was an issue for the Government and not for the new owners.

BAA put Gatwick up for sale while the Competition Commission (CC) was inquiring into whether the company's ownership of seven UK airports was anti-competitive.

The CC eventually ruled BAA had to sell Gatwick and Stansted and one of either Glasgow or Edinburgh airports - a decision that BAA is currently appealing against at a competition tribunal.

BAA said today that proceeds from the sale of Gatwick would be used to repay part of its debt which stood at £9.6 billion at the end of June.

BAA chief executive Colin Matthews said the company planned to focus on improving Heathrow and its other airports, which include Southampton and Aberdeen.

Michael McGhee, the GIP partner leading the acquisition, said: "We will upgrade and modernise Gatwick Airport to transform the experience for both business and leisure passengers.

"We plan to work closely with the airlines to improve performance, as we have done successfully at London City Airport."

Although there can be no second runway before 2019 there are plans to expand Gatwick's North Terminal to allow for an extra five million passengers a year.

Brendon Sewill, chairman of the Gatwick Area Conservation Campaign, said: "We are worried that a faceless international consortium will squeeze every pound it can out of the airport rather than addressing local worries."

He added that the new owners must not "ride roughshod" over the local community.

Shadow transport secretary Theresa Villiers said it was vital that GIP improved services at Gatwick, while Liberal Democrat transport spokesman Norman Baker MP said more had to be done to reduce check-in times.

The Campaign for Better Transport said it wanted to see Gatwick become "better, not bigger".

Steve Turner, the Unite union's national officer for civil aviation, said: "We have an agreement in place with BAA which protects the workers' terms and conditions including, importantly, their final salary pension scheme.

"Our concern now is to ensure that this agreement has come through the sale intact."

Airlines said they were looking forward to working with the new owners, with British Airways saying it wanted to see an efficient Gatwick, and Virgin Atlantic Airways pointing out that the airport had suffered from a lack of investment "for years".

Gatwick's managing director Andy Flower said the announcement was "a landmark day for the airport" and everyone associated with it, while John Burroughes, managing director of the Brighton-based Uniglobe Preferred Travel company, said the sale was "excellent news for travellers and for the south-east England economy in general".

Gatwick opened in 1958 and is the busiest single-runway airport in the world, handling 32.2 million passengers in the 12 months ending September 2009.

It serves more than 200 destinations in 90 countries and generates around 23,000 on-airport jobs plus a further 13,000 indirect posts.

The CC report into BAA's airport ownership was particularly scathing of the company, speaking of poor levels of service for airlines and customers.

The sale of Gatwick is subject to EU merger regulation clearance but this is not expected to be a problem.

A GIP spokesman said: "We hope the deal will be completed by early December."

Gatwick Airport sold                                                                 October 21 2009

Airport operato