Belfast International Airport is on the verge of changing from Spanish to US ownership, with its owners reaching initial agreement to sell it as part of a combined €300m asset disposal deal.

FINANCIER Dermot Desmond will pocket a cool €40 million from the takeover of airports’ operator TBI.

A Spanish company best known for running toll roads looked set today to acquire the owner of Luton airport in a deal worth £551m (€788m).