American company, ADC & HAS Airports Worldwide, has bought Belfast International airport from Abertis
Belfast International Airport is to be sold to the US-based firm, ADC & HAS Airports Worldwide, which has interests in airports in Costa Rica and Ecuador. Belfast International has been owned by the Spanish company Abertis since 2005. Abertis is also selling Stockholm Skavsta airport and other assets to ADC & HAS for a total of £244m. The deal with Abertis is pending approval of minority shareholders and US regulators. Belfast International is the second largest airport in Ireland and handles around 4.3m passengers a year, well down from its peak of around 5.5 million in 2007.
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22 July 2013 (BBC)
American firm to buy Belfast International Airport
Belfast International Airport is to be sold to the US-based firm, ADC & HAS Airports Worldwide.
The airport has been owned by the Spanish company Abertis since 2005.
Abertis is also selling Stockholm Skavsta airport and other assets to ADC & HAS for a total of 284m euros (£244m).
The deal with Abertis is pending approval of minority shareholders and US regulators.
ADC & HAS has interests in airports in Costa Rica and Ecuador.
“We are extremely pleased with this acquisition,” said Jeff Scheferman, chief executive of ADC & HAS.
“With it, we add to our portfolio two airports serving capital cities.
“We also expand and intend to further build upon our presence in the US market, add more than 350 experienced airport personnel, and will be serving more than 35 million passengers annually.”
Belfast International is the second largest airport on the island of Ireland and handles around 4.3m passengers a year.
The airport can trace its aviation history back to the First World War, when Aldergrove in County Antrim was selected as a military training base for the Royal Flying Corps.
Northern Ireland’s first regular civil aviation service began at Aldergrove in 1933.
Fifty years later, the facility was officially branded as Belfast International Airport.
It was privatised in July 1994.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-23406276
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UK Airport Statistics: 2012 – annual (Table 10.3) Terminal Passengers 2002 – 2012
2012 4,312,441 (up + 5.1% on 2011)
2010 4,011,000 (down – 12% on 2009) link to 2010 data
2006 5,015
2005 4,820
2000 3,127
1996 2,351
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