Lets Go to buy Exeter Airport

(28 April 2005)

A consortium which includes Lets Go Travel has won the bid to buy Exeter Airport in a multi-million pound deal after a two-year tender process.

Current owner Devon County Council has named the South West Airports Consortium as its preferred bidder for the sale of the airport, thought to be worth £10-£20 million.

The sale, which has not yet gone through, will lead to the development of major new routes out of Exeter, according to Lets Go Travel managing director Simon Maunder.

“We see this as great news, not just for Exeter and outbound travel from across the southwest but a great opportunity to boost inbound tourism too,” he said.

Maunder, whose initial speculative bid to buy the airport in 2002 sparked a bidding war with more than 70 companies, is already inviting operators to consider using the airport, promising his miniple will sell a certain number of seats.

Currently the airport has routes to more than 30 European destinations as well as to Toronto in Canada.

The South West Airports Consortium is owned jointly by international airport groups Macquarie and Ferrovial.

Maunder, who owns 35 travel agencies in the southwest, joined forces with the consortium after initially bidding independently for the airport.