A preferred bidder has been chosen for Glasgow’s Prestwick airport, which the Scottish government wants to return to the private sector.
BBC Scotland said the unnamed bidder was a European investor in transport infrastructure. The new bid emerged after Glasgow airport owner AGS Airports reportedly pulled out of a deal in November.
Prestwick airport reported a £5.5 million profit in 2019/20 but is said to owe more than £43 million to the Scottish government, which stepped in in 2013 when previous owners Infratil threatened to close it.
Ryanair was a major passenger operator at Prestwick, which is 32 miles west of Glasgow, but has scaled back its network, with the bulk of Prestwick’s income now coming from refuelling mainly military aircraft and from freight.
Prestwick is expected to play a key role in November’s UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, which will see world leaders gather in the city during the 12-day event.