Strategic review at Manchester Airports Group – buying or selling?

News leaking from Manchester Airports Group (MAG), UK suggests that the airport authority has appointed consultants to undertake a strategic review of the company. It comes as speculation mounts that the head of the northwest England based water and power conglomerate United Utilities is set to take over as CEO of MAG, the largest airport operator (in fact almost the only one) in the UK to remain in the public sector. It raises the question as to whether MAG has designs on buying more airports itself, of selling some of its own or even putting the whole entity on the market; something it has stated it would 'never' do.