who knows...maybe this will be the re-birth of "the hub without the hub-bub" Mark III ?? for BA??

But right now there is no obstacle to Ryanair or Easy operating transatlantic from Stansted or Luton - Maxjet, Eos and Silverjet had no trouble getting the rights, did they?

The Heathrow 'money machine' exists because of an excess of demand over supply. That situation will continue, substantially, into the future.

The SSK,very true,other airports have the capacity for more services.the pressure will come at LHR,where other carriers utilise short haul slots for transatlantic routes.that will increase competition substantially,especially in the premium cabins,where huge profits are currently being made.i am sure we will see fierce competition for the business traveller.this will hit BA very hard.

I have to say that this well and truly puts the writing on the wall for BA.

Sitting as fat cats on the monopoly of the LHR cash cow and running away from any competition in the regions, it is now extremely vulnerable.

I am sorry to say that those of us who have suffered BA's incompetence in the regions cannot but enjoy the discomfort that must surely be being felt by some at BA who have not a clue about the real competitive world into which they are now being projected.

Don't worry about the lack of slots at Heathrow. When mixed mode comes in there'll be a 30% increase in capacity.:uhoh:

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

One struggles to think if one has heard of anything funnier!

Well said G, I reckon more like 5% :8

I think the 30% refers to the increase in noise - from the Cranford residents' howls of protest.

A 30% increase - and that assuredly means that there will also be a 30% increase in:

1. stand availability
2. tugs and their experienced drivers
3. fuelling vehicles
4. honey wagons
5. catering vans
6. luggage trains
7. car parking spaces for the extra staff and pax
8. :p

great news for LGW,plenty of capacity for transatlantic operations.wonder if BA will have a rapid re-think about it's future viability ?? nice to know that heathrow will no longer be the only choice for a variety of UK-US flights.I will be delighted to avoid heathrow in future,it can't happen soon enough !!

How about a few more brave souls flying to the US from Stansted? Ideal gateway to cheap flights into Europe and for those of us not resident in the extreme SE of England, easier to get to than LHR or LGW.

re slots at LHR - very very clever move of BMI to have just bought Bmed and 8 slots per day !!! cant wait - am opening a dollar account tomoro !!:) :)

BMI securing the BMED slots,another blow to willie walsh and the inspired leadership team at WATERWORLD !!

must say WW looked pretty sick and p....ed off about it on the BBC news !!!:O

Oh dear, oh very dear...

What must Willie be thinking tonight? Just when he thought things couldnt get any worse... ''Open Skies''

Can anyone name 1 thing he has done, to enhance the image of the airline? However anyone can name at least 5 things hes done to tarnish the name of the airline!

Now, with everyman and his dog that owns an aircraft legally allowed to operate from LHR (any European airport) to any where in the US, where will BA make their money? Of course India, China and the Far East still make good returns but the US is the jewel in the crown.

More mergers then?

I cant wait to see scores of BA longhaul aircraft scattered about LHR - wherever there is a space to park them up!

Maybe now Mr Walsh, you will waken up and smell the clover. Retain the BA mainline staff in the regions, Use the Regional UK airports and try clawing back lost business to the likes of Continental, Delta, US Airways etc etc!!!
Its worth a try - now you really cant afford to ignore us...

Open Skies Effective 30 March 2008 not 28 October 2007
 

The European Council Conclusion paper from todays meeting 22 March 2007, indicates that the Open Skies agreement takes effect from 30 March 2008 and not 28 October 2007. The Commission was asked to secure agreement of the United States to confirm their agreement to reflect this;

http://ec.europa.eu/transport/air_po...onclusions.pdf

As for Ireland they were the only country to reach an interim agreement with the US, this was reached in November 2005 between Ireland and the US, once an agreement between the EU and US was agreed, Irish Airlines will have access to three additional destinations, Aer Lingus have selected IAD, SFO and MCO, these three destinations can commence immediately. Irish airlines will have access to the full American market from 30 March 2008, when the full open skies agreement comes into place.

As per this agreement, the Shannon stop over will operate on a 1:3 basis with immediate effect and from April 2008 the stop over is no more.

>re slots at LHR - very very clever move of BMI to have just bought Bmed and 8 slots per day !!! cant wait - am >opening a dollar account tomorow !!

That's not quite correct. True, bmi bought Bmed with the existing franchise agreement continuing to October but after that the slots remain BA's.

what price now an aer lingus takeover? all those luverly heathrow slots......:ooh: :sad:

Faulty,

"bmi bought Bmed with the existing franchise agreement continuing to October but after that the slots remain BA's."

BMED owned their own LHR Slots. BMI has managed to buy a very sweet deal in deed. £30 million for 8 prime time long haul timed slots.

Bargin i'd say!!!!

I bet WW wishes he didn't turn down that first refusal now.

BMEDbus...I bet the BA board are asking themselves why they appointed willie walsh as CEO......big decisions for BA to make in the very near future to try to minimise the damage this deal will inflict.do they have the right team in place to make those decisions?from recent experience i very much doubt it !!
this really is make or break for BA,no longer enjoying its lucrative LHR transatlantic franchise,they have to come up with the correct long term business model,or else it's all downhill and rapid !!