Airline battle over London to New York route hots up

[PAXboy]

By Danny Fortson, Business Correspondent the Independent

Published: 07 January 2008

The battle between American and British airlines over the industry's most lucrative route, London to New York , is set to intensify as US carriers push through major revamps of their business- and first-class cabins.

United Airlines has released new details of a $165m business-class and first-class cabin refurbishment that will include 15in flat-screen televisions, lie-flat beds, and the capability to use iPods with the on-board entertainment system. The upgrade has been a long time coming. British Airways and Virgin Atlantic have long enjoyed a critical advantage over the American carriers' offerings for transatlantic premium passengers.


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http://travel.independent.co.uk/news_and_advice/article3315061.ece

[Seat62K]

Hasn't United withdrawn from the New York-London market?
(Update: Just checked united.com. Nonstop flights not available. Must travel, eg, via IAD. Have I missed something - ie United planning to reintroduce flights?)

[The SSK]

the industry's most lucrative route, London to New York

How could anybody substantiate such a claim?

The last airline to go bankrupt didn't find it so lucrative.

[Pax Vobiscum]

I don't usually find myself defending the Indy, but I imagine Mr Fortson meant to say the route generating the greatest revenue (rather than profit, as is implied by the use of the word lucrative). I don't know where to find (public) definitive stats, but I wouldn't be surprised to learn that NYC-LON is the route producing the largest revenue.