Quote: "Had Easyjet/Ryanair been able to get access to LHR like they have at Barcelona, Schiphol and Paris then they might have put more pressure on BA short haul."
It's not a question of ability "to get access to LHR", both U2 and FR can afford to buy slots at LHR, but perhaps not in the quantity they require.
They choose not to for three reasons:
(1) the costs of slots can be better used to offer lower fares;
(2) they don't need to be at LHR to take on BA and BD (previously);
(3) congestion and delays at LHR are an obstacle to no-frills type operations: they cannot do 25 minute turnarounds for example, constraints that do not apply at AMS and BCN.
Quote: "MOL's view was some time ago that we will have more consolidation and Europe will have 1 or 2 big (legacy) carriers, plus Ryanair and Easyjet."
Yes, it was to be FR and U2 for the no-frills, and BA (now IAG), AF-KL and LH group for the legacies.
Persumably, at the time, FR envisaged taking over EI.
His predicted "bloodbath" (sic) hasn't happened and probably won't.
Last edited by Fairdealfrank; 28th Mar 2013 at 10:27.