British airport operator fights breakup

British airport operator fights breakup: "LONDON, England (UPI) -- The owner and operator of seven major British airports is fighting back against airline calls for its breakup.
BAA, formerly the British Airports Authority, says a lack of runway capacity and not its control of London`s Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted airports is 'the biggest problem' facing British carriers and passengers, Air Transport World reported Friday.
The owner-operator made the claim in a submission Thursday to Britain`s Office of Fair Trading, which is investigating its dominance in the London market and its control of other British airports.
British Airways, Ryanair and easyJet made submissions to the office last week asking the government to break up publicly traded BAA, one of the largest transport companies in the world.
British Airways agreed runway capacity was an issue and said that supported its argument that BAA should be broken up.
Runway construction 'should not be concentrated in the hands of one company,' it said."