BRITISH MIDLAND (BMA) has asked the European Commission (EC) to protest to the Swiss Government over its refusal to allow Swiss passengers to purchase BMA's new low-fare tickets in Switzerland.
Because Switzerland is not a member of the European Union (EU), the EC is virtually powerless to act, however. "At first glance, there is not much we can do," says Competition Commissioner Neil Kinnock's office.
The UK carrier points out that Swiss passengers can still buy their low-fare tickets in the UK, which British Midland chairman Sir Michael Bishop says "...makes a mockery" of the Swiss ruling.
At £278 ($430) return, the new fares are some 26% less than those charged by British Airways and Swissair, which have a duopoly on the route. "We want to highlight that the supposed free-market philosophy in European air transport does not always bring the benefits expected," says British Midland.
The UK carrier says, that the EU allowed Swissair to take a 49.5% stake in Belgian carrier Sabena, which Bishop says, gives Swissair "all of the benefits of free access to the European market, while British Midland is unable to enjoy the same benefits of free access to the Swiss market".
Switzerland is in negotiation with the EU on a series of seven accords dealing with free-access issues, one of which is air transport. The EU says, however, that any early agreement bringing Switzerland within the EU liberalisation rules "...is highly unlikely".
British Midland has received approval for the London Heathrow -Zurich route, which it plans to inaugurate on 29 October with four daily flights, using Boeing 737-500s (Flight International, 13-19 September).
Source: Flight International
