T5 + BA/AA!

[fruitbat]

According to the Sunday Telegraph the government have finally run out of excuses and will give the go ahead for T5 this week. Work won't start for 6 months as detailed plans need to be submitted. First stage to be completed by 2007.

The Observer on Sunday claims the BA/AA link up is 95% certain and that they should push it all through by the end of the year. Brussels sources reckon they will only have to give up about 50% of the slots demanded last time round.

[Magnus Picus]

Now for another runway

[Bellerophon]

Yes indeed, Magnus, and having seen plans of where the third runway might be located, and, most unfortunately, which building would have to be demolished to make way for it, I have little doubt that most of the 16,500 flying crew at BA will be in favour of the bulldozers moving in to start work on the new runway as soon as possible!

[bean_counter]

From "The Observer"
http://www.observer.co.uk/business/story/0,6903,591207,00.html

Don Carty, chief executive of American Airlines, is '95 per cent certain' of
pulling off a partnership deal with British Airways by the end of the year,
he told The Observer this weekend.

Sources close to the European Commission in Brussels said they believed the
airlines would be asked to give up no more than eight daily frequencies and
perhaps as few as six 'slots' at Heathrow to accommodate rival carriers, as
part of an open skies deal to allow transatlantic allcomers into the airport.
This is less than half the 19 daily departures demanded five years ago when
the original BA-American deal collapsed.


How do AA and BA employees feel about this ?

[BOAC]

OOh Bellerophon - you are getting me excited!

[Raas767]

I guess since UAL and LH enjoy antitrust immunity in Star, a BA AA linkup is inevitable weather we like it or not. Not even Sir Bransen himself can stop it.

[Aerienne]

Well if it were pulled down, I'd quickly sell any stock you hold in companies trading coffee!

[thegirth]

T5 work has been underway for some time now,
ther was a ghost station built when the Heathrow Express tunnel was dug. Also building work at ground level has been visible for over a year....a baggage routing system apparantly.......