BRITISH AIRWAYS is saying ”business as usual” whilst two of its most
senior executives are on gardening leave following an OFT raid. Who
is actually in charge of the commercial and public affairs departments
the airline will not say but both areas are functioning as normal. An
unnamed source in communications said, ”After all we trundle along
when Iain is on holiday and so why not now?” The enquiry has been a
major cause of speculation over the last week or so, both in the
industry and the wider public. The very quiet departure of Paul Moore,
head of Virgin Atlantic public affairs, in February, does however now
gain some sort of significance. What was the real reason? It has
been said that if Virgin had blown the lid on the alleged collusion
whilst they may have gained immunity this side of the Atlantic, that
was not the case in the US. ”The vulture lawyers will be after them,"
said an expert experienced on these matters. As to Virgin America
the same source was equally doubtful. ”Yes they can plead that in
fact they were showing that they were whiter than white, but you can
be just as sure that there will be others who are saying ” how can you
allow people like this to invest in an American airline?"
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