BAA MUST sell Stansted Airport, the Competition Commission has ruled today.

The government watchdog has released a report into BAA's ownership of seven UK airports.

They've ordered airport owners to sell Gatwick, Stansted and then either Glasgow or Edinburgh in the next two years.

But BAA’s Spanish owners Ferrovial have said they may appeal the decision in the high court.

An official statement from BAA said: “BAA will consider the Competition Commission report carefully before deciding how to respond.

“We accept the need to change and, having reorganised to improve customer service and having initiated the sale of Gatwick, BAA is already changing.

“However, we believe the Commission’s analysis is flawed and its remedies may be impractical in current economic conditions.”

But BAA Chief Executive Colin Matthews told journalists: "We might have to appeal if we reach the conclusion that it is simply not practical to proceed"

The report has delighted anti-expansionist group Stop Stansted Expansion, who see it as a “death knell” for the proposed second runway.

SSE’s economics adviser Brian Ross said: “SSE has been actively campaigning for a break-up of BAA’s monopoly for more than four years and so we are naturally delighted by today’s decision which is an important milestone in our campaign.

"The battle over a second runway at Stansted is far from over but today’s decision unquestionably increases our chances of winning that battle.”