ICG Plans £200M Sale of Exeter, Bournemouth, Norwich Airports

Investment firm ICG has agreed to purchase three English regional airports—Exeter, Bournemouth, and Norwich—from the Rigby Group in a multimillion-pound deal reportedly worth around £200 million. The airports collectively serve nearly two million passengers annually, with Bournemouth being the busiest among them. Exeter Airport, which has experienced growth and returned a profit post-pandemic, hosts airlines such as Ryanair, KLM, Aer Lingus, and TUI, and has historical significance dating back to World War II. The Rigby Group, which acquired these airports after purchasing them from Balfour Beatty and Devon County Council respectively, will continue to operate them under Regional and City Airports (RCA). ICG has expressed intentions to support the airports' expansion, cargo, executive aviation operations, and sustainability initiatives. The deal is expected to be finalized later this month, with both ICG and Rigby Group declining to comment publicly ahead of the announcement.