Easy Jet and Virgin in joint Gatwick bid

Virgin Atlantic and easyJet may form a partnership to make a £2.5 billion bid for London Gatwick Airport, The Times has reported.

The airlines are in talks about forming a consortium to purchase the airport, after BAA put it up for sale following a preliminary report from the Competition Commission, which ordered the break-up of the company's monopoly of London airports.

Virgin and easyJet would not contribute financially to the bid but have pledged to base a large number of aircraft at Gatwick, which would ensure its future revenue.

A spokesman for Virgin Atlantic indicated that no firm plans had yet been made. He told The Times: "We have always been interested in bringing together a consortium to buy the airport. We are talking to lots of different parties at present and those talks continue."

Gatwick, which is located in Crawley, west Sussex, is currently London's second largest airport, ferrying 35 million passengers to more than 200 destinations around the globe each year.

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