The Scottish government plans to nationalise Infratil's unprofitable Glasgow Prestwick Airport, which the Wellington-based investment company has been trying to sell since March last year.
Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon told the Scottish parliament that she hoped to agree terms of a sale within six weeks
"We believe that Prestwick airport can have a positive future," she said in a statement. "It will require investment and take time, but we believe that it can be returned to profitability."
She said that despite considerable effort and interest from private investors, a deal hadn't been achieved for Infratil to sell the airport "in a timescale that is acceptable to Infratil."
As a result, she said, Infratil was considering other options including public sector ownership or closing the facility. The second option would be "a serious and unwelcome development both for Ayrshire and the Scottish economies," she said.
