Ownership. Gatwick Airport was originally part of the publicly owned British Airports Authority. In 1986 BAA (owning Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and other airports) was privatised to become BAA plc. In 2005 BAA was bought by the Spanish company Ferrovial.

London Gatwick Airport was first privatised in 1987 as part of the broader privatisation of the British Airports Authority (BAA) under Margaret Thatcher's government. At that time, it was sold as part of a package of seven UK airports. However, the most significant "modern" privatisation event occurred in December 2009, when the UK Competition Commission forced BAA to sell Gatwick to break up its monopoly on London's airport market. It was sold to a consortium led by Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) for approximately £1.5 billion. Later, in May 2019, the French company VINCI Airports acquired a majority 50.01% stake in the airport, with GIP retaining the remaining 49.99%. In 2026, Gatwick remains a privately-owned entity, operating as a fierce competitor to Heathrow and Stansted, with ongoing investments in its "Northern Runway" project to increase capacity and compete as a major global long-haul hub.