London Gatwick, the second biggest airport in the UK, is to be sold by BAA in response to pressure from the Competition Commission, which is preparing to call for the break-up of the UK airports group.

Potential buyers, which have indicated an interest in bidding for some of the BAA airports, include: Manchester Airport Group, the largest UK-owned airport operator; Global Infrastructure Partners, a fund in which Credit Suisse and General Electric were the founding investors and which already owns a 50 per cent stake in London City airport; and Hochtief, the German construction group and airport owner.