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BA to axe short-haul flights if third runway is blocked
Sri Carmichael, Consumer Affairs Reporter30.09.09
British Airways will be forced to scrap “significant” numbers of domestic and European flights out of London if no third runway is built at Heathrow, the company said today.
The Tories have pledged to ditch the Government's plan for extra capacity at the west London airport if they win power next year.
BA's chief executive Willie Walsh said the airline, which lost £401 million last year,
would focus on more profitable long-haul services if it was stopped from expanding its way
out of the recession.
He said: “If the Tories don't want a third runway, we'll have to cut capacity significantly on European and domestic flights from Heathrow.
"We need expansion and we can get added growth in
long-haul services which are much more profitable.”
Yesterday, BA launched its first business-only service from London City airport to JFK in New
York, a move widely seen by industry experts as the airline testing long-haul demand.
Mr Walsh said: “I believe the third runway is right. Heathrow needs the extra capacity and the
economy would benefit. There's no credible alternative for finding that capacity elsewhere.”
He emphasised BA would look for foreign opportunities for expansion if the British government squeezed its business.
He said he hoped his airline would conclude discussions over a merger with Spanish carrier
Iberia “by the end of the year”.
The deal would give BA more slots on the Continent and more capacity in Madrid.
The company is also hoping to buy struggling British airline bmi if owners Lufthansa decide
to sell it, as industry insiders expect.
Bmi has the second largest number of slots at Heathrow, at over 10 per cent, so the deal
would improve BA's capacity.
Reader views (12)
Funny - I thought the importance of the short haul flights was to feed the long haul flights and the importance of Heathrow was its role as an interchange.
Air France, KLM, Lufthansa etc will be delighted.
- John, Bromley
Yet more childish threats from Walsh. This is the man who's busy leading BA towards bankruptcy and destroying its reputation! Based upon his track record so far its surely only a matter of time before he's asked to clear his desk anyway
- Dave, London
let them we got ryan air for short flights. enought air pollution arround heathrow.
- John, sheppeton
Julie syas that short haul flights are a ate of money and casue unnecessary environmental damage. How does she suggest people get to cities such as Rome, Barcelona, Warsaw etc if these flights are scrapped? Should we drive there in our polluting cars!
BA's threat to axe short haul has in my opinion nothing to do with the third runway - it's all to do with the total mis-managemnt of the airline by Mr Walsh and his boared of cronnies. BA have already cut many of its short haul fights - I can recall when you had about 7 flights a day to Warsaw - now it 3 and at rotten times! Just like your average budget airline!.
BA - why dont you do us all a favour and close down sooner rather than later and free up space at Haethrow and Gatwick for airlines that can offer proper services to customers.
- Alan, Carshalton, Surrey
Well if they merge with BMI then there will be a huge number of unnecessary flights out of Heathrow. Cutting them will be good for London and good for BA. Who needs another runway?
- Mark, London
The 3rd runway will not be built for years, so why doesn't he scrap his domestic and short-haul flights now ? I mean, what is the difference between having no 3rd runway now compared with having no 3rd runway in 5 years time ? Just an empty threat. The way BA and other carriers are reducing flights currently completely undermines the economic case for building the 3rd runway any time soon.
- Roy Grainger, London
BA ,the worlds fasted dying airline.
- Dave, london
This is just typical WW toy-throwing in an attempt to get his own way. He would be better off lobbying the EU and BAA as they are the ones that dictate the number of slots. Interesting that other home airlines in France, Germany and Holland do not have this problem, and yet they manage to provide domestic and international services. The real reason wee Willie wants to chop these services is because they are run by BA staff that cost him the most in salaries and pensions.
- Nobby Clark, Perth, the Scottish one
British Airways will be forced to scrap “significant” numbers of domestic and European flights out of London if no third runway is built at Heathrow, the company said today . . . Excellent NEWS!
. . . BUT will they keep this promise?
- Fraser, Telford Park
Sounds like they have just created the perfect business case for scrapping the 3rd runway.
If ever there was a waste of money and unnecessary environmental damage it is short haul flights !
- Julie, London
More contradictory nonsense from the BA CEO.
Since "cost cutting" is apparently necessary because BA is haemorraging money within the existing structure, presumably they have to cut back flights from Heathrow anyway and it is simply misleading to suggest that BA's best interests are served with a new runway alone?
Or perhaps Walsh is maintaining this myth that the best way to profit from a service industry is to not actually provide any service at all and hope people buy into the long since vanquished image that BA is the world's favourite airline?
If BA is to survive, they need new leadership sooner rather than later
- John, Twickenham
Good.
- Austen, London
