It was confirmed today that Belfast City Airport has been bought by Spanish engineering and construction company Ferrovial.
The firm, which owns 12 other airports worldwide, paid £35 million sterling for the airport, which was put on the market nine months ago by cash-strapped Canadian Bombardier Aerospace (BCA).
The Spanish company said in a statement that BCA had a 125-year concession to manage the city's airport until 2114.
Mr Juan Bejar, general manager of Ferrovial's infrastructure division, said: "This operation is a further opportunity for growth in a strategic area.
"We are strengthening our position in the infrastructure concession business in the UK and our position in airport management worldwide to a total of 13 airports in Australia, the UK, Mexico and Chile, with a throughput of more than 41 million passengers per year".
Belfast City is Ferrovial's second British airport - it jointly owns and manages Bristol Airport.
Belfast City is projected to handle 1.8 million passengers this year and, after the construction of a new £22 million terminal last year, has capacity to expand to three million passengers a year.
Mr Luis Sanchez Salmeron, head of Ferrovial's airports division, said: "As well as the superb location, facilities in good condition and a profitable operation, BCA has scope to increase revenues from aeronautics and non-aeronautic sources by developing the airport's commercial activities".
PA