BAA has given up on its three-year battle against the 2009 ruling by the Competition Commission for the company to sell the site.

Stansted Airport ranks as the 3rd largest and 4th busiest airport in the UK. The sale is expected to raise over £1 billion, with Manchester Airport Group marked as one of the preferred bidders.

BAA commented that: “There isn't a single airline which flies out of Stansted which operates out of Heathrow. But the legal advice was that we should not challenge the Supreme Court.”