Two aviation unions, IPMS and BALPA, have said that a bid from the Airline Group consortium to take over the UK’s National Air Traffic Services (NATS) is the best option for air traffic control if privatisation goes ahead.

While continuing to oppose the privatisation of NATS, unions say the Airlines Group bid most closely resembles the not-for-profit trust which they have been campaigning for since the Government unveiled plans for a public-private partnership in 1998.

The unions say that on grounds of investment, expertise, safety, national interest and industrial relations, the airlines’ bid is superior to its rivals.

Paul Noon, IPMS general secretary, said: “Privatisation is still a gamble, but the Airline Group bid is by far the best bet. It gives NATS the best chance of insulating safety from the pressure for profit.”

Final bids to take over NATS were lodged by 31 January, and are now under study by technical assessment panels.

Two further bids have been made by the Nimbus consortium, led by the SERCO facilities management company, and the Novares consortium, led by aerospace equipment supplier Lockheed Martin.

The UK Government is due to announce its preferred bidder by the end of March.