Belfast International Airport to be sold to US firm ADC & HAS Airports Worldwide

NORTHERN Ireland’s leading airport is set to change hands.

Belfast International Airport is to be sold to the US-based firm, ADC & HAS Airports Worldwide.

The airport has been owned by the Spanish company Abertis since 2005.

Abertis is also selling Stockholm Skavsta airport and other assets to ADC & HAS for a total of 254m euros (£218m).

The deal with Aberits is pending approval of minority shareholders and US regulators.

ADC & HAS has interests in airports in Costa Rica and Ecuador.

Belfast International is the second largest airport on the island of Ireland and handles around 4.3m passengers a year.

The airport can trace its aviation history back to the First World War, when Aldergrove in County Antrim was selected as a military training base for the Royal Flying Corps.

Northern Ireland’s first, regular civil aviation service began at Aldergrove in 1933.

Fifty years later, the facility was officially branded as Belfast International Airport.