Cardiff Airport

28 January 2022

Dear 

Request for Information – ATISN 15908

I wrote to you on 6 January regarding your request for information.  

Information requested

You asked for the following information in relation to Cardiff Airport:

1. The total cost to date that Welsh Government have incurred operating Cardiff Airport since its purchase.  
2. Initial purchase cost and date of purchase. 
3. Operational cost per annum since purchase. 
4. The amount of profit or (loss) per annum since purchasing Cardiff airport. 
5. The number of loans (and amount in GBP) provided by Welsh Government.

Our response

I confirm we hold some information caught by your request. I have concluded, however, that some of the information is exempt from disclosure under Section 21 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, information otherwise available.  

1. The Welsh Government does not hold this information. The Welsh Government does not run Cardiff Airport. The airport is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Welsh Government, operated at an arms-length as a private limited company. Cardiff Airport operates in an independent and commercial manner, makes investment decisions on a wholly commercial basis, and is liable for its own actions and any issues arising from the running of its business.
2. The Welsh Government purchased Cardiff International Airport Limited (CIAL) for £52m in 2013.
3. This information can be found at companies house; CARDIFF INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT LIMITED overview - Find and update company information - GOV.UK (company-information.service.gov.uk)
4. This information can be found at companies house; CARDIFF INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT LIMITED overview - Find and update company information - GOV.UK (company-information.service.gov.uk)
5. Five loans have been provided by the Welsh Government as listed below:

2014   £10m commercial loan facility 
2015   Consolidation of existing loan (£10m) plus new £13m commercial loan  facility totalling £23m  
2017   Consolidation of existing loan (£23m) plus new £15.2m commercial loan facility totalling £38.2m
2019   Consolidation of existing loan (£38.2m) plus new £21.2m commercial loan facility totalling £59.4m. Of which £54.6m was drawn down. 
2020 COVID-19 emergency Loan: £4.8m 
Total Loans issued: £59.4m

Please note that further details about the Welsh Government’s investment in Cardiff Airport are set out in an evidence paper to the Senedd’s Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee.

Next steps

If you are dissatisfied with the Welsh Government’s handling of your request, you can ask for an internal review within 40 working days of the date of this response. Requests for an internal review should be addressed to the Welsh Government’s Freedom of Information Officer at:

Information Rights Unit, Welsh Government, Cathays Park, Cardiff, CF10 3NQ or email: Freedom.ofinformation@gov.wales. Please remember to quote the ATISN reference number above.    

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at: Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF. However, please note that the Commissioner will not normally investigate a complaint until it has been through our own internal review process.

Yours sincerely