Originally Posted by
EI-BUD
I would be amazed if BA started LCYIOM. Access to LCY is limited and wouldnt this route be competing for some of the LGWIOM business?????
Since BA are going to be a 15% owner of BE as part of the sale of BAconnect, I just couldnt see BA in the context of the relationship of the 2 airlines going onto this route.
However, if its true it certainly says something about the kind of fares BA were collecting on LGWIOM???
Surely there are many LCY routes that are not served that could avoid 2 competitors , I think that would be fare more sensible for BA ???
I am led to believe that IOM-LON is, as far as high yield traffic is concerned, a market that can sustain a full service carrier and probably also some sort of smaller LCC operation.
IOM-LGW will be operated by Flybe from April. Despite having a small stake in Flybe, I doubt that BA will avoid competition with Flybe. LGW used to be the island's lifeline as it also offered some connections after the end of the LHR route. With flybe's arrival, it will become nothing more than a low cost route as flybe does not offer connections, interlining etc.
No airline will waste LHR slots for an IOM service.
So the only option for a full service airline is LCY. While it is true that this route already has two operators, those two are no rserious competition if BA will put a jet on the route, offers a FFP and some frills. It is not exactly BA competing against Air France and KLM, but BA against Euromanx and VLM....