After a 15 year break, British Midland is planning a comeback on the North Atlantic, with a request for route licences to the US.
The airline wants to fly from London/Heathrow to Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Miami, Los Angeles, New York, Seattle and Washington DC.
The application is a complete turnaround for British Midland, which focuses on European services. According to Tony Davis, British Midland general manager of industry affairs and pricing, the airline has made the application because the proposed BA/AA alliance is likely to release more than 168 slots at Heathrow and British Midland is eager to increase its 14 per cent share of slots there. The carrier has also been lured back to the US market by the prospect of cheaper and more available widebodied aircraft in the wake of the Asian crisis.
The carrier has also been granted a 'scarce capacity hearing' by the UK Civil Aviation Authority on seat capacity for the summer schedules on the Heathrow-Warsaw route, currently monopolised by British Airways and its new alliance partner LOT. To be held 23 March, this is said to be the fourth scarce capacity hearing, but the first for a new entrant to a route.
British Midland obtained rights to the Warsaw route last June. But BA still takes the entire UK share of 53 per cent of the market, and LOT holds Poland's 47 per cent share.
'We are not suggesting that British Airways should reduce frequencies, but use a smaller aircraft,' says Davis. BA currently uses two 757s, he says, but is planning to employ a larger 767 in August. British Midland plans to use a 737-500 for a twice daily service.
Source: Airline Business
