BRITISH MIDLAND IS TO expand its European network in October, continuing its strategy of joining battle on Europe's busiest routes. The UK's second-largest scheduled carrier will serve Zurich and Prague from London Heathrow from 29 October, and reveals that passenger traffic grew by 13% during the first half of the year.
Chairman Sir Michael Bishop says, that "no other airline has taken as much advantage of the deregulation of major European air routes", but complains that the carrier is still barred from several key markets.
The company's long-term strategic plan calls for 75% of its revenue to come from international operations by 1998/9. During the first six months of 1995, these accounted for 56%. Passenger traffic on international services rose by 8.5%, led by a 27% increase on the London-Frankfurt route.
Traffic between Heathrow, Brussels and Paris declined by 1.4%, compared with an overall decline for airlines in those markets of around 13%. Given the competition from the Channel Tunnel, this is a laudable result, says managing director Austin Reid.
Competition from the Tunnel, as well as a growing number of competitors, is being blamed by BA Express carrier CityFlyer Express, for its pulling out of, the London Luton-Paris Charles de Gaulle route. It is being taken over by Suckling Airways using a Dornier 328, the first to be registered in the UK.
French independent Air Liberte is also pulling out of its Paris Orly-London Gatwick route after just nine months, citing the lack of slot availability at both airports and low load-factors on the main revenue-earning flights. The airline will use its Gatwick slots to open up two new routes to Bordeaux and Toulouse from 29 November, using McDonnell Douglas MD-83s. Its vacant Orly slots will be used to start a new service to Strasbourg.
As Air Liberte departs London-Paris another French carrier is preparing to enter the market. Air Jet, is to offer twice-daily flights to Charles de Gaulle and London City Airport from October 2, using two 68-seat British Aerospace 146-200QCs.
The carrier wholly owned by French express-parcels operator Jet Services Group, claims it will be the first airline to offer "no ticket, no booking flights" from London City.
To use the business-class-only service, passengers will purchase smart cards pre-programmed for five flights. If a flight is full, says Air Jet, a back-up aircraft will be made available.
Source: Flight International
