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Virgin Atlantic attacks other big airlines

Tuesday 21 Oct 2008 7:03am

British airline Virgin Atlantic has launched another attack on the transatlantic alliance between British Airways and American Airlines. Virgin suggested that British Airways and American Airlines were trying to 'stitch up' the air corridor for flights between the UK and the USA. A partnership between the two airlines would see them jointly control 79 per cent of passenger capacity between London Heathrow and Boston, according to Virgin Atlantic. Virgin's figures also indicate that British Airways and American Airlines would have a 63 per cent monopoly on flights between New York JFK and London Heathrow, 66 per cent of passenger capacity between Chicago and Heathrow, and 75 per cent of flights from Heathrow to Miami. Chief executive of Virgin Atlantic Steve Ridgway said: 'BA/AA isn't just another alliance. It is an attempt to stitch up the most important long-haul routes from Europe's most important airport, London Heathrow. 'BA and AA want to roll back the successes of deregulation and liberalisation in international aviation. In the case of BA, the lack of anti-trust immunity didn't stop them achieving a ten per cent operating margin last year. BA and AA want to have their cake and eat it, at consumers' expense. ' Willie Walsh, chief executive of British Airways, has counter argued that an the partnership BA and American Airlines will allow the oneworld alliance, which they belong to, to compete with the rival airline groups such as Star Alliance and Skyteam.

Browse tags: #BA #AA #VS #MIA #LHR #JFK #ORD #BOS

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