Question on BA's strategy
Here is a question for those in the know. I want to make it clear that I am for a third runway at LHR but I couldn't help noticing what to me at least appears to be some discrepancies with BA's operations.
It is quite apparent that due to LHR's runways being maxed out that London is losing out to its counterparts (Paris, Amsterdam etc) on serving the emerging markets like China, South America etc.
Therefore my question is why do they not make room for these flights within their existing operation?
The facts as I see it: -
Since the Iberia merger the IAG operate 13 flights to Madrid daily. Is that needed? Some BA and Iberia flights leave within 5 mins of each other with Iberia even operating an A360 at times!
Since the BMI merger most of their old routes have been maintained even ones that are already served by BA like Moscow (yes I know they have to keep certain routes etc). Countless routes to the middle east surely at the expense of these so called emerging economies that neighbouring Europe is tapping.
Is Leeds one of the routes that they have to serve? I noticed that BA announced this route recently and if not mandatory why serve it? Surely most people just get the bloody train. I was always under the impression Mr Walsh only concentrated on LHR and abandoned the regions with the Bacon sale. Manchester, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen sure, but Leeds?! Also BA increasing Boston to 4 daily makes no sense. Especially as the only other competitor on that route is AA who they co-operate with.
Such routes as Nice and Marseille, are they needed? Surely these are just leasure routes and anyone connecting will just go through Cdg? You have low cost carriers like Germanwings and Vueling, why? Surely if your flying from Bilbao, A Coruna IAG would rather you go through their Madrid hub?
I realise this seems like a rant but rather than pick small parts of my argument can anyone answer why if serving these emerging economies is vital (and I believe it is) BA persist with duplicate routes, domestic routes, letting Vueling use slots to serve marginal airports etc.
Last edited by Rivet Joint; 19th Dec 2012 at 22:27.