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Southampton Airport is being sold to AviAlliance in a reported £1.5 billion deal.
The lifeline hub for Guernsey and Alderney was owned by AGS Airports, in turn owned by Ferrovial and Macquarie - but reports from the city this week suggest that the new owners will take it on in the new year, subject to conditions and regulatory approvals.
The deal is said to include £900 million for the purchase of AGS Airports - which includes Glasgow and Aberdeen airports - along with £653m worth of debts.
Martin Bradley, Head of Infrastructure for Macquarie, said: “Since 2014, we have worked in partnership with Ferrovial to support around £250m of investment by AGS Airports aimed at delivering a better experience for passengers travelling via Aberdeen, Glasgow and Southampton airports.
“Following this decade of investment, we are pleased to be passing the baton to AviAlliance to unlock the next phase of growth.”
Andy Cliffe, Chief Executive Officer of AGS Airports, said the sale will have a "beneficial impact on passengers"
"Over the past 10 years, Macquarie and Ferrovial have played a central role in unlocking our full potential," he said.
“Their close partnership with the teams across our three airports ensured we had the support to invest in our passenger offering while improving our operations.
“We are grateful for their close stewardship and look forward to continuing to develop our services and beneficial impact on passengers and communities across the regions of Aberdeen, Glasgow and Southampton.”
Investments made by AGS Airports include £17m spent on a runway extension at Southampton Airport - which airport bosses said was crucial to its survival in 2021.
Aurigny operates regular services to Southampton from Guernsey and Alderney, with the Bailiwick also using Southampton hospital for medical matters.
Local charity, the Priaulx Premature Baby Foundation has three flats adjacent to the city's hospital because so many young local patients are transferred there for treatment.
The airport's new owners, AviAlliance is owned by a Canadian pension investor.
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