The BA model is to maximise UK transatlantic travel though LHR
which is why they have never put any serious effort into developing transatlantic services from Manchester, Birmingham or EDI
They aren't going to encourage people to go via DUB
#No they are not, but most UK airports don’t have links to LHR, so it‘s a choice between DUB and AMS. Ownership of EI allows IAG to grab a share of this.
More and more people are viewing EI/DUB as a good alternative to BA/LHR.
At most UK airports it’s an alternative to KL/AMS,
not BA/LHR
If they (IAG/BA) 'own' EI, and many people currently DO avoid LHR (for a number of good reasons) and they (BA/EI/IAG) could, probably would gain business via DUB , Transatlantic, which they would otherwise not get !
They , IAG/BA , would then gain add revenue/profit which otherwise would go to another carrier.e.g. AF/KL/LH etc.
Exactly, that is the point.
Think BA will deffo use some of their current Heathrow slots for Belfast & Dublin for more lucrative long haul destinations on bagging the extra EI slots.
No need, BA has enough slots since IAG bought BD.
I have been scratching my head for ages trying to work out why BA \ IAG want Aer Lingus for and what will they do with them?
My guess is they have identified 2 moves (apart from the usual synergies... sorry for the business speak) They will split \ separate \ divide some of their US destinations from LHR and offer connections through DUB, offering pre-clearance, quicker transit & after all you are closer to the US from DUB. The inter UK flights could free up slots to serve the "emerging markets \ more profitable" destinations.
Put A320 or A321 on DUB \ BFS routes to soak up pax and free a few more slots.
If someone from MAN \ BRS \ EDI \ GLA etc can hop to DUB & on to the US why would you want to go via LHR?
Does the lack\reduced rate of APD from DUB play any part in this? I don't know.
One other possible reason: maybe IAG don’t want another group buying EI and possibly asset stripping it in much the same way that LH did to BD (before 2009, BD had 14% of LHR slots, in 2012, 8%).