The only other airline I heard that is trying to get LHR gates is Delta. I don't know if this is true or not, but I'm sure they would want into LHR. Delta only flies to LGW.
CO, DL, NW and US all want to serve LHR, not just DL. Under the treaty, though, they are prohibited from doing so. It's ridiculous given where international aviation is at this point.
CO, DL, NW and US all want to serve LHR, not just DL. Under the treaty, though, they are prohibited from doing so. It's ridiculous given where international aviation is at this point.
I agree it is ridiculous. And if it wasn't for CO, DL, NW, and US crying about AA/BA ATI a year ago, then DL would have had a chance to purchase these slots.
I would think that DL would gladly continue to forgoe rights to LHR if it meant that they can keep another real competitor, oneworld, out of the market.
Still it would more interesting to see if AA put in a bid or was told, or it was let known by BA they were going all out for the slots. I am sure Virgin and BMI both looked, and bid. The Idea that U, DAL, NWAC, or CAL even bid is crazy. These are use it or lose it slots by the time they got access to LHR, they would have lost the slot or would be spending time waiting for whom ever they leased them to, for them to be freed up for their use.
Still it would more interesting to see if AA put in a bid or was told, or it was let known by BA they were going all out for the slots. I am sure Virgin and BMI both looked, and bid. The Idea that U, DAL, NWAC, or CAL even bid is crazy. These are use it or lose it slots by the time they got access to LHR, they would have lost the slot or would be spending time waiting for whom ever they leased them to, for them to be freed up for their use.
News reports are that BA simply exchanged four undesirable time slots (and a lot of cash) for UA's desirable early morning slots. UAL hasn't decided what to do with its new undesirable slots:
United, DIA's dominant carrier, has not determined how it will use the four less-valuable daily time slots - two departures and two arrivals - it received, Green said.
I don't think AA even has any undesirable slots to trade like BA did. Anyone?
And there's no way that US carriers lacking access to LHR routes under Bermuda 2 could possibly bid on these slots or trade slots with UAL - after all, by definition, DL, CO, US, NW and the others have no slots to trade. B)
