The deadline for submitting bids for Gatwick, Britain's second busiest airport, passed at 1400 GMT on Monday, with operator BAA saying a winner could be announced in days.

BAA's owner, Spanish construction company Ferrovial, put the airport up for sale last year to meet competition concerns.

Analysts doubt it will fetch a big premium to its GBP1.6 billion pounds (USD$2.33 billion) regulated value as air traffic slumps and scarce debt hindered bidders.

A BAA spokesman said bids were due by 1400 GMT on Monday, adding: "The process will be far from finished -- even once we've got all the bids. It'll probably be days, if not weeks, before we are in a position to make an announcement to say here's the winning bid."

The three likely bidders are: Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), a fund with General Electric and Credit Suisse as founders; Lysander Gatwick Investment Group, comprising Citi Infrastructure Partners, Vancouver Airport Services and John Hancock Life Insurance; and Manchester Airports Group, Borealis and Greater Manchester Pension Fund.

None of the three was available to comment.

Weekend reports in Spain's El Pais and Cinco Dias newspapers said Guy Hands's Terra Firma -- not previously an active player in the sales process -- was considering a bid. A spokesman for Terra Firma declined to comment.

The BAA spokesman would not comment on Terra Firma but said it expected to receive all bids by the end of the day.

HSBC and RBS are running the sale.