Originally Posted by
BirdmanBerry
Can they actually do this?
Sorry, forgot to answer that the first time round. They can. Re the intra Europe flights, the relevant provisions from Chicago:
Each contracting State shall have the right to refuse permission to the aircraft of other contracting States to take on in its territory passengers, mail and cargo carried for remuneration or hire and destined for another point within its territory.
That isn't the hard part. This is the hard part:
Each contracting State undertakes not to enter into any arrangements which specifically grants any such privilege on an exclusive basis to any other State or an airline of any other State, and not to obtain any such exclusive privilege from any other State.
The UK can't ask for special and the EU can't grant. Is an all or nothing proposition. Why a great number of states are rather strict with the cabotage.