Flying out of Edinburgh Airport to Moscow on business is a routine journey for city engineering firm executive Paul Hendry.

Yesterday, as he checked-in for his latest trip, he voiced strong support for moves by the competitions watchdog to force Edinburgh Airport owner BAA to sell up.

He believes the Competition Commission's claim that ending BAA's monopoly on lowland Scotland airports will bring flight prices down and feels that the firm offers a second-rate service.

The 60-year-old said: "I fly very often, almost every week. I think, ultimately, let's wait and see what the results are of the proposed sell-off. But as a businessman, I think competition must be good.

"I find myself basically positive to the idea because BAA often shows evidence of being a large bureaucracy and of inefficiency. I'd say BAA is around 50% in terms of performance."

Few other travellers at the airport yesterday lunchtime appeared to know about the proposed enforced sell-off.

However, unsurprisingly, there were not many who did not support the idea if it leads to the £180m drop in passenger costs the commission is predicting over 10 years.

City student Yvonne Long, 23, heading home to Ireland, said: "Other than Ryanair, it is much more expensive to fly out of Edinburgh than other airports like Glasgow.

"If there was more competition by forcing BAA to sell off Edinburgh that would be fantastic."

Ms Long had a low opinion of BAA's service, saying the airports were far less clean than those in Ireland. Others would be happy with the status quo, however. Housewife Linda Neillands, 46, from Kirkcaldy in Fife, defended BAA as she waited for her oil engineer husband Stuart to return from Kazakhstan.

She said: "I think BAA do a good job. We have never had a problem when we've flown from here, and my husband flies a lot for his work. The only issue he has is the wait at passport control, but that's all. I think the prices are good."

Whatever the views of air passengers yesterday, the announcement by the Competition Commission that Edinburgh Airport should be sold stoked up some heated reaction - particularly from business leaders.

They feel that having one owner for Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow does not threaten performance given the three "very distinct" markets they serve.

Liz Cameron, chief executive of the Scottish Chambers of Commerce, said: "Once again the Competition Commission has failed to recognise the realities of the airport market in Scotland.

"We have repeatedly given evidence to the commission demonstrating the fact that a change of ownership in any of BAA's Scottish airports will not necessarily have any effect on a passenger's choice of airport, but they have failed time and again to convincingly counter this argument."

The commission had gone "too far" in proposing to direct a private company to dispose of a specific asset, she added. "Any potential divestment would be a commercial decision, and this should be left to the company, not taken on their behalf by the state."

Edinburgh was, perhaps understandably, surprised by yesterday's recommendation given BAA spent £11m on an air traffic control tower at Turnhouse in 2005 and a further £90m on terminal expansion in the past two years.

Edinburgh City Council also expressed concerns that any new buyer would not invest as much as BAA, which has outline developments worth £100m over the next 10 years, and warned that the sell-off could jeopardise the airport's crucial role in supporting the country's economy.

Meanwhile, Glasgow was breathing a sigh of some relief that the Competition Commission's decision.

Councillor Steven Purcell, leader of Glasgow City Council, said: "This is the recommendation we were hoping for. The airport is crucial to our economy. Every one million passengers equates to 1000 associated jobs in the local economy."

However, the Commission indicated the future of Glasgow Airport was not completely safe, with "further views" being sought on the idea that Glasgow could be sold as an alternative to Edinburgh.

As both cities yesterday weighed up what the report had to offer them, a broader picture was projected by Ian Duff, chief economist for the Scottish Council for Development and Industry, who argued that its findings would have repercussions for the country as a whole as it prepares to project itself on the international stage.

Mr Duff said: "Hanging a for sale' sign above our capital's airport at this difficult time for the economy and on the eve of the Year of Homecoming is not the best advert for Scotland in attracting overseas visitors."

Rulings Gatwick and Stansted airports will need to be sold to different purchasers, as well as Edinburgh. Negotiations are in place regarding the future of London airports. Glasgow and Edinburgh airports have kept tariffs (ie landing charges for airlines) lower than inflation in a bid to avoid regulatory pressure. The commission rejected BAA's argument that it sets prices independently of market forces, finding prices at Glasgow had fallen further than Edinburgh due to impact Prestwick Airport's growth. Prices fell more slowly at Aberdeen Airport, given that it had no real competition. Moves to be made to bring down customer costs and improve investment at Aberdeen Airport.