Open Skies...Boeing & Airbus

[Captain Galactic]

With Open Skies due to take full effect from March 2008, Virgin and BA must accept the fact that competition is a very real possibility. The likes of BMI and even Aer Lingus are rumoured to be planning major long haul expansion using their slots. Will Heathrow become a long haul only airport?

[Rainboe]

If you're trying to open a discussion about an airport, why not post in 'Airports'?

[random_route]

I could see it as being a real problem if it was long haul only...

People having to find their way over to LGW for connections across the UK and Europe.

Would be much better if it remained a hub airport, with international and inter-european flights.

Just my 2 cents

[PAXboy]

EGLL is slot limited and has been for a decade or more. It has been said in PPRuNe that no one can get a good set paired slots across the whole week - unless they start buying up other companies. They already have more flights than they can realistically accommodate, which has led to them becoming one of the most reviled airports in Europe. The govt has just launched an enquiry into the whole place which, by the way, is an admission that the regulator has failed in their duty.

In what way is this attractive to a new entrant?

[The SSK]

I see AF are transferring three of their slots to Delta for JFK (2 daily) and ATL, plus they are switching one to provide themselves with an LHR-LAX daily. As far as I know they have already abandoned LHR service to all French provincial points, so the slots must be coming from the Paris service.

[BCALBOY]

EGLL is slot limited and has been for a decade or more. It has been said in PPRuNe that no one can get a good set paired slots across the whole week - unless they start buying up other companies. They already have more flights than they can realistically accommodate, which has led to them becoming one of the most reviled airports in Europe. The govt has just launched an enquiry into the whole place which, by the way, is an admission that the regulator has failed in their duty.

In what way is this attractive to a new entrant?



Its probably to do with the fact that airlines can make good money at LHR
in spite of the complexities in operating there .

[PPRuNeUser0183]

Just interested in people's views... With Open Skies starting soon, I would have expected much more of a fuss, but it seems to be causing surprisingly little waves within the industry.

Apart from the BA in disguise thread, and that Virgin plans to operate from Paris, I haven't heard of any other airlines that are seriously considering taking advantage of this opportunity, isn't that a bit strange?? Why are airlines not taking advantage, can't they source the airframes, or the crew, is that the problem??

And one last thought, each manufacturer has recently pursued a different strategy. The Atlantic is only a small part of the picture compared with growth in Asia, but won't open skies damage A380 sales?? I would expect Open Skies to develop the atlantic much more as a point-to-point market, far more suited to smaller aircraft...coincidence??

[cjhants]

what about delta, northwest and continental getting LHR slots from next spring? certainly a lot of activity here

[Seat62K]

Perhaps it's just early days. On the other hand, look at the reports which seem to indicate that BA might be having difficulty getting new slots at JFK to launch services from there to mainland European cities (plus terminal congestion at JFK).

[The SSK]

Air France starting daily Heathrow-Los Angeles 777 next spring. They have also 'given' three LHR slot pairs to Delta for twice daily JFK and once a day Atlanta.

Obviously any national carrier planning to operate stand-alone services from a competitor's hub is moving outside the comfort zone of their core market. Maybe AF think there are enough French nationals in high-flying jobs in the City to produce adequate loads.

[Seat62K]

Aren't landing charges set to rise more steeply at LHR than, say, at LGW over the next few years?

[heidelberg]

AL were first 'out of the blocks' and added the following routes - San Francisco, Chicago and Orlando.
More to come with the rumoured closing of the Dublin/Dubai route and thereby releasing another 330 for ops to Nth America in 2008.

[Just a spotter]

heidelberg wrote:
AL were first 'out of the blocks' and added the following routes - San Francisco, Chicago and Orlando.
More to come with the rumoured closing of the Dublin/Dubai route and thereby releasing another 330 for ops to Nth America in 2008.

The word is that the AC from the DUB/DBX slot will be utilised to bring DUB/SFO to daily.

As for other airlines and open skies, I'm sure many are planning quietly, but given the issues EI have encountered just opening a new intra EU shorthaul base in BFS I suspect many management teams eyeing new TA routes are working on roll out strategies and staffing policies just as much as slot aquisition.