Virgin Atlantic has held talks with financial partners over a possible bid to buy Gatwick Airport.

A spokesman for the airline said that the talks were at a very early stage but that it intended to approach other airlines about forming a consortium to table a bid, once it had secured suitable backing.

Sir Richard Branson's airline already owns a seventh stake in a consortium that owns NATS, the UK's system of air traffic control and the entrepreneur believes consortium-ownership could be suitable for an airport, now that the Competition Commission has signalled its intention to force BAA to sell up to three of its seven airports.

Paul Charles, spokesman for Virgin Atlantic, said: "There is the potential to fundamentally restructure how airports are run once the BAA break-up is confirmed. Competing airlines own NATS and that works very well."

"Why not have airlines running airports. It would make the experience for passengers so much better than it is today," he said.

Dubai International Capital, with which Virgin Atlantic has close ties, is already believed to have expressed interest in buying Gatwick, for a price-tag of up to £3 billion.

Sir Richard Branson held talks with the $12 billion sovereign wealth fund earlier this year about financing a potential bid for BMI.

The Competition Commission's final findings on the break-up of BAA are set to be published by April next year. BAA's owner, Grupo Ferrovial of Spain, is unlikely to seek formal interest from buyers until the CC has made a clear determination on the future of the airports.

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