BAA bidders line up to buy Gatwick airport

International infrastructure groups have approached British Airports Authority (BAA) with offers to buy London's Gatwick airport for up to £3 billion (€3.8 billion), the Sunday Times reported without citing sources.

A BAA spokeswoman declined to comment.

Germany's Hochtief, Global Infrastructure Partners, the GE-Credit Suisse investment fund, Australia's Macquarie and Britain's Manchester Airport Group have all indicated their interest to Ferrovial-owned BAA ahead of the Competition Commission's report expected this week, the paper said.

The competition watchdog is expected to say that the group's ownership of London's three largest airports - Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted - is against the public interest and experts believe it could be asked to sell two of the London hubs and one of its largest Scottish airports, it added.

BAA chairman Nigel Rudd told the BBC that he expects the Competition Commission to recommend the breakup of the airport operator, adding that would not be a financial disaster.