Listen to the audio version of the article
French airport management company Vinci expands into the UK by acquiring 50.01% of Edinburgh Airport for £1.27 billion approximately €1.5 billion. The remaining part of the Scottish airport will remain in the portfolio of Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) which acquired it in 2012. According to what was reported by the Bloomberg agency, GIP had asked for more than 3 billion pounds to take over 100%: Vinci competed for the acquisition together with the Spanish Aena SME.
In addition to Edinburgh airport which in 2023 had a turnover of 272 million pounds, an Ebitda margin of 65% and has 14.4 million passengers per year with connections to 150 destinations, the French company is expanding its portfolio in Europe where it manages, among other things, the largest motorway network beyond the Alps: in addition to the Scottish airport, Vinci is in the process of acquiring a 20% stake in the Budapest airport.
In total it manages 70 airports around the world, including London Gatwick and Belfast International in the United Kingdom and operates mainly in France, Portugal and Latin America. GIP acquired Edinburgh Airport in 2012 from BAA (British Airport Authority) for approximately £807 million. The infrastructure fund sold a controlling stake in London’s Gatwick Airport to Vinci for £2.9 billion in 2019.