However, there would seem to new intense pressure on the UK and BA with the approval of the KL/AF merger. When they add that to the mix with DL/CO/NW it will be an awesome alliance. It will not begin to compare to Oneworld. BA and LHR will start to lose even more transfer business at LHR to CDG and AMS.
If the UK and BA wait for years for this openskies to come, BA will be a monumental loser.There fore I am saying that maybe this negotiating session or the next one will see some limited progress in opening up LHR to more US airlines. In return BM will get their long sought approval to start some LHR-USA flights.
The stakes for BA, UK and LHR are just too high to wait any longer and they know it.