[canucklad]

Morning FDOS
To clarify my last post…… I firmly believe that BA has chucked in the towel as far as attracting Eastward and Southbound intercontinental transfer traffic from the regions. Choosing to focus on West bound traffic instead.

However as a SE centric carrier, EK is now tapping into its African, Asian and Sub-continent market.

Are the current growth restraints at LHR hindering BA., or are they artificially covering up a downward trend in its market share, that when a 3rd runway is built will change a trickle of churning customers into an unstainable exodus as other carriers can then compete on a more level playing field. ?

And my concern is that the latter happens, thus weakening our , by proxy “national carrier” !!

[FDOS_UK]

canucklad – 18/02/2016 11:15 GMT

All good points, but I hesitate to go further, as we would get into whether it is a good thing to have a ‘national carrier’ or to let the free market run it’s course and that would, unavoidably be an extremely political argument!

As a private business, BA has every right to play in markets where it can position profitably and withdraw or minimise exposure in others – in fact it is a good management approach to consider such decisions, but that will always be the opposite of an organization with public duties, such as maintaining phone boxes (which BT probably loses hand over fist on, but cannot avoid.)

[JohnHarper]

I can’t help but think that Wee Willie’s objection to a third runway is founded in losing a monopoly position at LHR if one is built.

Presumably slots will be sold and many airlines have deep pockets the days of the monopoly will be numbered. Hopefully at the same time we would see some competition opening up the North Atlantic to companies like the ME3 and SQ who have had known ambitions there for some time.

[FDOS_UK]

Willie’s commercial worldview is governed by what’s best for IAG and should always be interpreted in that context. The same priniciple applies to Carolyn McCall, Michael O’Leary etc..

Willie is fortunate to have a very strong position at one of the most lucrative hubs in the world and is probably only too aware of that.

[JohnHarper]

Indeed and there is founded his objection to a third runway, something the UK government have kicked in to the long grass.

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