airports everywhere

Airports everywhere

As far as Macquarie Airports is concerned the Hungarian Government's sale of Budapest Airport is the tip of the potential airport privatisations iceberg.

After snapping up 2004's only European major airport privatisation, Brussels, the part-owner of Sydney Airport is now in the 11-horse bidding race for Budapest's Ferihegy International Airport.

Hochtief, Spain's Ferrovial Aeropuertos, the UK's BAA and MAp part-owned Copenhagen Airports are among the bidders. The Hungarian Government will decide next week which of the bidders will reach the "pre-qualification phase".

If MAp misses out, it will not will be a serious blow given there are more than 400 airports still in government hands across Europe.

There is speculation that compared to 2004, the next two years will see many more European airports hitting the auction block. And the recent inclusion of several new countries to the European Union, particularly in Eastern Europe, is expected to accelerate the rush of privatisations.

Slovakia's Bratislava is expected to be the next major Eastern European hub to go up for sale. There is talk, too, the French Government could move to privatise Paris's Charles de Gaulle Airport, possibly through a float.

But of more interest to MAp could be if the French look to sell several key regional airports. There are suggestions the Germans might want to sell off more of their airport assets. It looks like MAp will have plenty to keep itself occupied while it politely waits for the Danish Government to possibly sell its remaining stake in Copenhagen Airports.