BRITISH AIRWAYS' French subsidiary TAT is at last ready to reveal plans on how it will exploit its hard-won access to the domestic hub at Paris Orly.
Several other airlines have already begun competing with incumbent French domestic airline Air Inter between Orly and Marseilles, Toulouse and Nice, and have seen traffic growing rapidly as a result of the continuing strikes at Air Inter.
Air Liberte has won almost 20% of Orly-Toulouse business since services started at the beginning of the year.
Now, after a four-month silence, TAT is about to announce the opening of an Orly-Marseilles service beginning, according to one source, "within the next few weeks".
The new service will be followed by flights between Orly and Toulouse during the northern summer, giving the airline access to the two most profitable domestic routes in France. A further service to Nice is expected shortly after.
TAT, which is 49.9% owned by BA, is suffering severe losses and has begun restructuring. Some of its international routes will be closed, with more emphasis on domestic flights. This will reduce costs and increase efficiency.
Source: Flight International
