No, BAA is not an acronym. BAA is a different company formed in 1986 under the Airport Act when the British Airports Authority was dissolved and its authorities, property and liabilities were transferred to BAA. Learn more about BAA's history.

What airports does BAA own?

BAA own Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and Southampton airports in the south east, and Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen airports in Scotland, as well as a 65% share in Naples airport in Italy and management contracts at three US airports.

Who regulates BAA's airports?

We comply with strict regulations set by the Department for Transport governing many aspects of our operation. The price we charge airlines is set by two industry regulators, the Civil Aviation Authority and the Competition Commission.

What is the future for BAA's airports?

In September 2008 we announced that we would begin a process leading to the sale of Gatwick Airport and this is ongoing. The Competition Commission is also examining BAA's airport ownership.

[Back to top]

Responsible growth

Why does BAA want to build more runways?

There hasn't been a new full-length runway built in the south east for over 60 years. Gatwick and Stansted are full at peak times and Heathrow operates at 99% of capacity all the time. As a result, air transport, an important industry for the UK, is being lost to Paris, Frankfurt and Amsterdam. What's more, demand for air travel in the south east is predicted to increase from 117 million passengers in 2000 to 300 million in 2030 - we need to allow for this extra demand.

So have you been allowed to build more runways?

The Government has decided we can build two new runways – one at Stansted, the other at Heathrow.

How much will a new runway cost?

It's estimated that the new Stansted runway will cost £4 billion. This will be for an airport that serves 80 million passengers a year and includes the development of terminal buildings, airfield facilities and improvements to the transport infrastructure. At Heathrow, cost estimates are currently around £7 billion for a new runway and associated facilties. This will all be privately funded - no public funding will be involved.

What is BAA's view on regional airports?

Regional airports will continue to grow in coming years - offering more choice to more people. This is also good for the economy as it spreads the wealth generated by airports around the country. A coalition of Scottish business groups (Scottish Chambers of Commerce, Scottish Financial Enterprise, CBI Scotland, Scottish Council for Development and Industry, Institute of Directors (Scotland), Federation of Small Businesses) published a letter recently calling for a third runway at Heathrow to protect the Scottish economy's links into the global marketplace. Capacity constraints at Heathrow have led to a reduction in the number of domestic destinations served. While Heathrow now only offers nine routes to the UK regions, Amsterdam provides 19 and Paris 14.

How can new runways be developed sustainably?

At Heathrow, the Government has clearly stated that a third runway will not go ahead unless strict environmental limits are met: no more noise overall than in 2002, air quality better than it is today, and unless there are improvements to public transport. Growth in flights at Heathrow is also conditional on aviation being on target to reduce carbon emissions to 2005 levels by 2050.

How can aviation as a whole reduce its impact on the environment?

We think the best way to do this is through emissions trading. Companies are set limits on their overall emissions and if they exceed their limit they need to buy surplus from other companies. This means that industries which cut their emissions can sell their surplus on.

Should the airline industry pay a 'green tax'?

Passengers already pay Air Passenger Duty which is a straightforward tax designed to reduce demand. But it does little to reduce emissions or encourage aviation companies to adopt more sustainable practices. Emissions trading offers the best solution.

What is BAA's position on night flights?

We understand that there's a fine balance between the economic benefits of early morning flights and the disruption it can cause to local residents. The number of flights we are able to operate is strictly controlled by the Department for Transport.

[Back to top]

Safety and security

Are our airports safe from terrorism?

Security is our number one priority and our systems and staff are among the best in the world. Of course, we can't say that air travel is 100% risk-free but we are working together with many organisations to keep air travel safe. There's a huge amount of work that goes on behind the scenes to keep everyone safe at all times.

[Back to top]

Retail

Why is BAA involved in retail?

Retail is a key part of our business activities. The money we make from retail subsidises the landing fees we charge to airlines and helps keep our airports some of the cheapest in the world. In turn, this has created a thriving airline business and gives passengers more choice.

If you had fewer shops, could you manage more flights?

The biggest constraint on the number of flights is runway space and aircraft parking bays. So the number of shops has little impact on the number of flights running.

[Back to top]

Support builds for third runway at Heathrow

Why the airport needs to expand