The British Airports Authority was established in 1966 to manage the government-owned airports at Heathrow, Gatwick, and Stansted. Since then the company has experienced privatization, name changes, acquisitions and growth, and some criticism – but the success of the business cannot be ignored. Here is a short history of the company now known as BAA.

By the 1970s the British Airports Authority had acquired Southampton Airport, Aberdeen Airport, Edinburgh Airport and Glasgow International Airport, alongside the big three in and around London. Southampton has since become one of the country’s leading regional airports, handling almost 2 million passengers a year.

In 1986, Margaret Thatcher’s Conservative Government passed the airports act serving to privatize the authority as a means to raise funds on the stock market. In the process the company became BAA plc. – confusingly, a name in its own right and no longer standing for British Airports Authority. In 2006 the company was taken over by Grupo Ferrovial, a multinational Spanish consortium specializing in transport and construction, and was consequently renamed once more to BAA Ltd. (though it is often known as BAA Airports Ltd.).

Since being taken over by an international company, it is perhaps no surprise that BAA has expanded globally itself. The subsidiary, BAA USA Inc., was established and is now in charge of retail operations at Logan International Airport in Boston and Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. In 1994, BAA also won a contract to manage Indianapolis International Airport until 2004. The contract was then extended and cancelled in 2007.

Despite BAA’s growth and success, the company has been subject to criticism, even leading to the recent enforcement by the UK Competition Commission to sell some of its airports. Amidst arguments that BAA is in a monopoly position, over the next two years the company will have to sell Gatwick and Stansted and one of either Edinburgh or Glasgow. Recent plans to add a third runway at Heathrow have been met with opposition by MPs and the public alike due to, amongst other things, the increase in air and noise pollution.

In 2007 BAA helped establish Flying Matters, a coalition of airlines, operators, food producers, manufacturers and tourist organisations that aim ‘to contribute to a balanced and informed debate on aviation’s contribution to climate change.’ With a focus on the economic value of airport growth and expansion, ranging from issues of more planes to airport parking, Flying Matters has recently opposed green “spin” and argued the importance of aviation to farmers in the developing world.

read also related posts:

1. History of Travel & Tourism

   2000 years Before Christ, in India and Mesopotamia Travel for trade was an important feature since the beginning of civilisation. The port at Lothal was an important centre of trade between the Indus valley civilisation and the Sumerian civilisation. 600 BC and thereafter The earliest form of leisure tourism can be traced as far back as the [...]...

2. Short Term Visas

   You’ve decided where you want to go, what you want to do, so now for the organisation! There are lots of different types of visa and what you need will depend on what you’re doing and where you’re from: Just travelling Whether you’re taking a career break, just feel like travelling or are heading off on your [...]...

3. Musings in Munnar, a short trip

   It is now scientifically established that after a nerve-cracking work of a few months that probably earned you name, fame and money, your body and soul need a break to get replenished.A short sprint into Mother Nature’s lap is what you need to come again brimming with new ideas. Just a couple of days into [...]...

4. Heathrow Expansion: Opposition and supporters get vocal during May

   May has seen some of the most vocal behaviour from both sides of the Heathrow expansion fence since the government agreed to support the plans in January. The debate became heated during a month in which UK airport travel figures reported a significant fall in numbers, averaging 7.3 percent across the country and a [...]...

5. A Short Intro To Snowboarding In The USA

   Copyright (c) 2009 directline-holidays.co.uk The United States has a huge range of resorts across the country spread out over the northern eastern states, the central Rocky Mountain states and the north-western states. Beware, many are low grade and are simple operated for the colour of money. The usual snowboarding season lasts from November until mid-April, [...]...

6. Spotlight on Heathrow: How the UK’s biggest airport is coping with the recession

   It is not surprising that the travel industry has been seen to be suffering from the ongoing recession. Since sterling fell mightily in comparison to the euro and the US dollar in December last year, it has done little to gain any ground in the lead up to the summer urging many UK travellers to [...]...

7. Edinburgh flight arrivals, what do you do?

   Like most airports arriving at Edinburgh can be a stressful time if you are note sure what awaits you when you arrive. That stressful feeling is terrible worrying about what to do and where to go when you arrive at Edinburgh. How do you get to the city centre? What part of Edinburgh is your hotel [...]...

8. Five Reasons To Go For Florida Short Term Rentals

   Thousands of visitors to Disney World and other Central Florida attractions are finding out that their vacation of a lifetime can be enhanced by choosing the alternative accommodation offered by Florida short term rentals. These are single family homes or condos available for daily, weekly or monthly rental and they are great if you [...]...

9. British Airways Maiden Flight Arrives in Male

   The First British Airways Flight Arrived in Male On October 25, 2009, the first British Airways flight, direct from London Gatwick (LGW), arrived safely at the international airport of Male, capital city of the Maldives, with 272 tourists on board. British Airways begins flights to Maldives (MLE) UK Tourists are the Maldives No. 1 Visitors Tourist arrivals in the...

10. What does the expansion at Heathrow airport mean to you?

    In January of this year, Geoff Hoon announced that the UK government supported the expansion of Heathrow should BAA continue with proposals to build a new runway by 2015. The new plans see the 2200 metre runway being built to the north of the existing airport running parallel and in between the northernmost runway [...]...