PASSENGERS flying in and out of Scotland's busiest airport are likely to see quicker boarding times, improved security checks and more long-haul destinations after the airport's sale in a £807 million deal.
Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), which owns Gatwick and London City, pledged to improve customer service after its deal to purchase Edinburgh Airport was accepted by owners BAA and approved by the Competition Commission.
Edinburgh currently handles about 700,000 passengers annually, some 200,000 more than nearest rival Glasgow.
Michael McGhee, the GIP partner leading the acquisition, added: "We plan to work closely with the airlines to improve customer service and quality in a similar fashion to the strategy we are successfully executing at our existing UK airports, London Gatwick and London City.
"We expect to continue to develop Edinburgh into an attractive and efficient capital city gateway by improving the experience of our passengers, business and leisure alike."
Since buying Gatwick in 2009, the independent infrastructure fund manager has managed to reduce average check-in times from two minutes to 23 seconds and complaints about security checks by 50%. It has also published league tables of baggage handling by different airlines so passengers can see how long it takes to board.
Experts said the sale was likely to lead to new long haul destinations opening up, as happened at Gatwick.
One analyst with knowledge of the deal said GIP was likely to look at expanding Edinburgh's route network in North America and opening new routes to Canada and the Middle East.
Such a development would bring it into closer competition with Glasgow International Airport, which has a stronger long haul network.
Spanish-owned BAA had been ordered by the commission to dispose of Glasgow or Edinburgh after the sale of Gatwick to break up the group's dominance over airport ownership in the UK and improve services. BAA is disputing the Stansted ruling, having opted to keep Glasgow and sell Edinburgh.
The sale was welcomed by Budget airline Ryanair, which recently announced it was axing eight routes from Edinburgh due to a row over landing fees, and easyJet, Scotland's biggest airline.
GIP took over London City in 2006 and then bought Gatwick from BAA for £1.51 billion.
The sale price for Edinburgh of £807m is considerably higher than the £400m to £600m that had been expected. The rival bid by a consortium comprised of JP Morgan Asset Management and Korea's Incheon International Airport Corp is understood to have been for £735m.
BAA chief executive Colin Matthews said: "We wish the new owners every success and are confident the airport will continue to flourish.
Mark Lazarowicz, Labour MP for Edinburgh North and Leith, said the takeover could result in "more vigorous competition between Edinburgh and Glasgow airports, with potentially significant benefits to passengers".
However, he added: "The fact GIP already owns Gatwick and London City airports must not lead to any downgrading of services to other London airports.
"Furthermore, as with any large takeover, employees will have concerns about their future under a new employer. I hope GIP will make clear their intentions about retention of staff as soon as possible and will reject any job losses or redundancies."
Scottish Conservative finance spokesman and Lothians MSP Gavin Brown said the deal was "the start of a new chapter in Edinburgh airport's history".
He said: "I hope that the new owners will place passengers at the heart of their plans and do all they can to create a fantastic passenger experience."
l IAG chief executive Willie Walsh said the airline will struggle to sell two loss-making subsidiaries, bmi regional and bmibaby, it inherited through the £172m purchase of bmi.
IAG, formed from a merger of BA and Iberia, said bmi's mainline operation would be integrated into British Airways, putting 1200 jobs at risk.
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