LUV4JFK From United States of America, joined Dec 2003, 462 posts, RR: 0 Posted (9 years 2 months 4 weeks 1 day 4 hours ago) and read 1545 times:
As dumb as the Bermuda II is, which only allows 2 airlines from the UK & the US to fly from Heathrow to the US, I've always wanted to know why did Virgin Atlantic get the rights to fly to the US over BMI? I know that BMI was not offering trans Atlantic flights for many years and recently re-instated trans Atlantic service from Manchester to the US, but it would seem to make more sense if BMI was able to fly trans Atlantic. After all, they are the 2nd most dominate airline at LHR and would provide MUCH better connections than Virgin Atlantic throughout Europe. What are your opinions about it?
LUV4JFK
John F. Kennedy International Airport: Where America Greets The World.
FlyCaledonian From United Kingdom, joined Dec 2003, 1965 posts, RR: 3 Reply 2, posted (9 years 2 months 4 weeks 1 day 4 hours ago) and read 1494 times:
It wasn't until the late 80s (Possibly early 90s?) that even VS was able to operate from LHR to the USA. British Caledonian was fighting for most of the 1980s to get access to LHR, both for its US and other longhaul flights. When BA took them over in 1988 it only left a fledging VS as the UK's longhaul competition. At the time they were granted LHR access, including transatlantic rights, British Midland wasn't interested in longhaul - it was developing in its role of providing competetion to BA from LHR on domestic and European routes. It is only in recent years that BD's attention has switched to providing its own longhaul services, something which can only be good for the UK market. Just remains a question of how to you grant BD transatlantic rights from LHR, and get CO, NW, US and DL into there without stripping BA of hundreds of slots!
Richard28 From United Kingdom, joined Aug 2003, 1570 posts, RR: 6 Reply 3, posted (9 years 2 months 4 weeks 1 day 3 hours ago) and read 1477 times:
Its all a question of timing, in the summer of 1987 when BA took over B-Cal, there was then only one british long-haul airline flying Bermuda routes.
VS stepped in and became this second carrier, British Midland could have stepped in, but I guess they missed their opportunity.
It would be nice for Bermuda 2 to be ditched, however given slot issues I doubt this could happen until the third runway is in place, and of course it is politically correct to do it - unless the EU forces the UK's hand.
ConcordeBoy From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 4, posted (9 years 2 months 4 weeks 1 day 3 hours ago) and read 1464 times:
nor did BD have sufficient fleet.
I'm still rather amused at how BD is so insistent upon the depressed N.American market... an A332 can go to most major destinations pretty much anywhere ex-LHR, nonstop.
FlyCaledonian From United Kingdom, joined Dec 2003, 1965 posts, RR: 3 Reply 6, posted (9 years 2 months 3 weeks 6 days 6 hours ago) and read 1193 times:
Crewrest, this one is now largely in the hands of the EU who are wanting to negotiate an EU-US deal. They argue that by negotiating on behalf of the 25 member states (Come May) they should be able to get a better deal. LHR though is, and will remain, the big sticking point concerning the UK.
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