14 Getting to a deal took some 18 months, a period of disruptive uncertainty for NATS that was far longer than that endured by its peers in other countries, most of whom simply raised their prices to airlines. In some respects the costs and timescale were understandable given the number of players involved, many with divergent aims, and the time taken for a reasonable view to emerge on likely future traffic levels following the shock of September 11th.
15 Moreover, the Department's negotiations over NATS took place against a background of tense relationships with private sector financial institutions over lending to Railtrack, which had been put into administration in October 2001. Exercises of the scale and complexity of the NATS Composite Solution cannot be transacted without substantial cost. The costs disclosed to us appear to be broadly equivalent to one third of the costs incurred in transacting the original PPP; unsurprising given the sheer scale and duration of the exercise.