Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary's interested in launching a £2bn bid for Stansted airport.

The controversial chief executive said acquiring the London airport, which is its biggest base, was one of his two main ambitions before he bows out from the low-fare carrier — the other being the purchase of rival Irish airline Aer Lingus, in which Ryanair holds a 29.8% stake.

And he is already making some plans for what he would do with the airport if he got it for his desired price of £2bn.

“I'd take it up from 24 million passengers today to more than 40 million by halving landing fees for all,” he said.

“You could have a second runway for £150m and second terminal for £250m — instead of the £4bn Taj Mahal BAA's planning — and we could bury Harry Bush (the Civil Aviation Authority's economic regulator) under the concrete on the ramp.”

Mr O'Leary said he was convinced the Competition Commission's investigation into Stansted owner BAA would recommend breaking up the airports operator. He believes the Commission could advocate that each of London's three main airports — Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted — be in the hands of separate owners.

In that case, he said: “We'd be in like a bandit. BAA knows we're interested.”

Stansted is the low-fare carrier's biggest base from where it is flying 43 aircraft this summer — though Ryanair plans to ground 15 of them during the winter in protest at what Mr O'Leary sees as high landing fees.