Air traffic firm's profits up 36%

AIR traffic control company Nats, which could soon be fully privatised, announced increased annual profits yesterday.

The company, in which the UK government has a 49 per cent stake, made a pre-tax profit of 106.1 million in 2010-11, compared with 78.3m in 2009-10.

It was announced in the Budget in March that the government intended to "realise value from its shareholding in Nats, subject to considering the views of key interested parties". Nats said it handled 2.17 million flights in 2010-11.