BAA eyes Jan Smuts Airport

British Airports Authority (BAA), the airports operator, is in talks to take over the running of four South African airports, including Johannesburg's Jan Smuts Airport, the Independent reports.

The company is preparing a feasibility study for the South African Government on selling the country's main airports to investors and on funding required to upgrade facilities. BAA, which already operates the commercial activities of Pittsburgh Airport, in Pennsylvania, has ambitious overseas expansion plans and intends to bid when Australia's main airports are put on sale in the next 18 months.

Last month BAA reported a 7.4 per cent increase in first-quarter pre-tax profit to GBP130 million (about HK$1.55 billion), excluding one-time gains from property sales last year, as people spent more at its seven British airports.