Jumpstart for BA/AA Alliance?

[bjghi3]

I have some friends who work at Waterside and they are hearing whispers that openskies negotiations may start again soon between the UK and US to try and jumpstart one last time the AA/BA alliance. Story has it that BA would like to move the remaining LGW-USA flights to LHR. BA is slowly realizing that they did suffer worse than other carriers in europe becasue of a lack of a US alliance. Also this might be last ditch effort to save the jobs of Lord Marshall and Mr. Eddington. In the end BA might just cough up the LHR slots, in time for the busy season. All this is according to some not so subtle "whispers" at fairly high levels at BA.

[huw stunn]

I don't think slowly realising is correct. The problem was that they were gobsmacked by the price that was proposed - they were expecting 10-12 slots a day. The fact that the US wanted to allocate all the slots to US carriers also didn't go down well with UK Gov't side. .Maybe they will try again with some sort of reduced proposal tied to some limited slot transfers.

[Donkey Duke]

It's time to let the competition in boys and girls. I know everyone at BA is scared of the competition, but maybe that alliance with AA will help your bottom line. Other european airlines have great alliances---like AF/DL and NW/KL-----and BA is being left out. Don't you think the business traveller wants a choice? That's what you are afraid of-----a choice.

. .Thanks. Donkey Duke <img src="cool.gif" border="0"> <img src="cool.gif" border="0">

[Lucifer]

Competition is all and well, but simply put, Heathrow is not big enough and the measures proposed would simply massacre British Airways, and thousands more jobs along with it. It is not going to happen until the US acts more fairly and the UK government sorts its life out regarding massive Heathrow expansion or complete relocation.

It is not full competition if there are barriers to entry or size constraints on capacity - there are both.

[Hand Solo]

Donkey Duke - you've just had it explained to you by an LHR ATCO on another thread why there's no spare runway capacity at Heathrow. You just keep repeating your 'BA are scared of competition' mantra like some deranged Buddhist! Do you think if you repeat it enough it'll become true? DL can come to Heathrow anytime, just so long as you're willing to give up a third of your slots at all your major hubs to even things out a bit, just like you expect BA to do. Ideally, give them to European carriers and see how much of a business you have left! Alternatively if you renounce 'Fly America', Chapter 11 protections, all forms of Federal aid and your other protectionist rackets then come back again and we'll have a think about it.

[jumbodriver]

hand solo,. .couldn't have put it better myself-donkey seems to be a fairly apt name....

[Mode7]

The definition of Open Skies = Europe and UK Give, Give, Give, USA Take Take Take. May be, just may be, if the USA was to GIVE just once then may be something might move!

[SomewhereOverHere]

Open skies is all fair and good if it really is a level playing field. Anyone heard of the Fly America Act? A piece of legislation, from the so-called champions of free competition, which says that any ticket paid for by the US government must fly in or out of the USA on an American carrier, even if it costs more. That means all US government, US Embassy, military, US-funded aid and humanitarian organisations.... so much for wanting free competition!

[jongar]

I can handle the fly america policy, but the fact that the US want cabotage rights around europe but will not recpricate is what really pisses me off