It”s going to be a very busy news week for the airline business with Willie Walsh promoting British Airways in Bangalore, World Travel Market opening at (Olympic venue) Excel in London, the Airbus A380 prototype winging its imperial way to Dubai for the air show and talks opening in Washington on the thorny old question of Heathrow ” Kennedy route rights.
The BA Irishman will say all the right things in India, WTM again combines show biz with serious travel industry talking and Dubai will be taken over by Toulouse.
What happens in Washington looks like standing out in what will be a very active seven days in air travel news terms. Or will it? After all Bermuda 2 was originally signed in 1977 and it has been keeping aviation lawyers in business ever since (and journalists too, albeit somewhat less expensively).
But things are speeding up. The last talks took place in Brussels just three weeks ago and there does seem to be movement on both sides. Just to remind readers (and not to bore them) between JFK and LHR two airlines from the US (American and United) and two from the UK (British Airways and Virgin Atlantic) are allowed to operate. Other gateways are restricted as are fifth freedom opportunities for British carriers and airline ownership within America for non-US investors. But the anti-trust legislation has been relaxed for certain continental airlines, typically KLM. The complex rules include cargo too. The incumbent British airlines, in the main, want a relaxation in the rules, as of course does bmi, now established long haul at Heathrow and without slot problems. The stateside operators offer somewhat mixed (some would say hazy, after all United is in Chapter 11) views. Yes on some aspects, no on others.
In the meantime figures involved are impressive. In 2004 3,814,745 passengers flew between London and New York, well over twice as many as between the next up, Paris, with just over 1.5m. To give even more perspective to the numbers Toronto in neighbouring Canada was third with 1.3m, Tokyo number four with a fraction over 1m, and Frankfurt coming in at number five with a (relatively) dismal total of 958,895. In fact by adding the top ”other” European gateways Paris, Frankfurt, Amsterdam and Rome together you only just top the London total. Heathrow to Kennedy alone just topped 3m flyers. Enough said!
Will this round of the Atlantic bilateral become just another talking shop or will something actually happen? These discussions have been going on for a very long time. Is Bermuda 2 to be consigned to the dustbins of history or is it just to be slightly modified once again, Bermuda 22?
http://www.panynj.gov/aviation/traffic/ATR_2004.pdf http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/80/airport_data/2004Annual/Table_12_1_Intl_Air_Pax_Route_Analysis