LOIS JONES LONDON
UK-USopen skies talks remain in gridlock, with no sign of progress this side of the Millennium. But more players are joining the queue to offer transatlantic services and increase pressure for an open skies agreement.
Singapore Airlines is the latest airline to apply pressure on the UK Government for a transatlantic service from London Heathrow.
SIA hopes to fly to either New York or Chicago, with Boeing 747s, and "provide real choice and real competition" on transatlantic routes. SIA already has authority from the US Government for transatlantic services, but has been waiting for UK approval for some time.
SIA's deputy chairman and chief executive, Dr Cheong Choong Kong says: "British consumers are suffering because of the restrictive agreement between the USA and the UK which allows only two carriers from each side to fly from Heathrow."
SIA claims that it is unfair that while UK carriers fly beyond Singapore, SIA is not afforded reciprocal rights from Heathrow.
Meanwhile, British Midland is stepping up its appeal to the UK and US Governments to allow open skies competition. The airline is calling on them to resume talks in October, with a view to introducing open skies in 2000. Chairman Sir Michael Bishop wants to see progress before the end of this year to allow British Midland to start transatlantic flights next summer.
As the latest evidence in its appeal, British Midland claims that up to 18,500 economy class seats could be lost when British Airways cuts the number on its transatlantic services. BA plans to replace its Boeing 747s with smaller 777s to reduce the number of economy class seats, while maintaining high-yield business class passengers. The biggest cuts would be on services to New York, where BA has 12,600 economy class seats on its 35 weekly services.
Source: Airline Business
