The Independent
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/tra...cle2328831.ece
By Simon Calder, Travel Editor Published: 05 March 2007
British Airways is to cancel more than 1,000 loss-making flights over the next three weeks, leaving tens of thousands of travellers stranded.
Each of the targeted routes is believed to be losing at least £1m a year, and the airline has concluded it will cost less to compensate passengers who have already booked, and to pay crew to stay at home, than it will to operate the aircraft.
An estimated 30,000 passengers who have already booked will be affected by the cuts, which start today. The abrupt cuts to flights from Birmingham, Manchester and Scottish airports are necessary "to protect the ongoing viability of the business," BA said in a terse statement.
the article continues at greater length but contains this ...
The move comes three weeks before the summer schedules begin on 25 March. None of the axed routes is expected to be resurrected for the summer. Flybe said it would retain only 35 routes, and none of the aircraft, from BA Connect.