Brexit and London City Airport

The first ever non-stop flight from London City Airport (LCY) to New York by a Bombardier CS100 (see in this issue) is very interesting in more ways than readers might think,  writes John Burke.

As yet no UK orders, but British Airways uses the competing E series of Embraer, the first of whose leases expire soon. The similar Embraer Lineage large private jet can make New York direct. Would it develop a special version of its new E2 for British Airways, or might BA replace this fleet with the larger Bombardier, with Swiss already a CS100 customer? This would negate the current refuelling stop at Shannon and take the whole BA LCY operation into Cityflyer, with operational and financial savings.

If Swiss were interested in JFK from LCY, what is the fifth freedom situation? Britain will join Switzerland outside the European Union. Will the British government grant this facility? Swiss is owned by Lufthansa Group. It could be that other EU carriers will want this right too. 

A bigger problem, of course, is how Brexit will affect International Airline Group, which is registered in Madrid, but with its operational headquarters in London. Iberia, Vueling and Aer Lingus are based in two EU states, but British Airways is bigger than the other three put together.

www.londoncityairport.com

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