Branson on the warpath

In his strongest outburst yet Sir Richard Branson has attacked the proposed British Airways takeover of rival bmi.

“This takeover would take British flying back to the dark ages.  For years pioneering airlines have fought to provide consumers with more choice and lower fares.  This move will see British Airways unravel all of this progress made.

When British Airways was left the only operator on the Glasgow to Heathrow route in 2011, fares paid by Scottish travellers rocketed by 34% in six months.

BA has a track record of dominating routes, forcing less flying and higher prices. 

This merger will see BA holding more than half of all take-off and landing slots at the UK’s only major international hub – an airport that has had much needed growth plans forcibly frozen.

It is vital that regulatory authorities, in the UK as well as in Europe, give this merger the fullest possible scrutiny and ensure it is stopped.”

What Sir Richard failed to mention was that bmi regional operation has in the past been a valuable contributor to Virgin Atlantic’s hub at Heathrow.  British Airways says that on the Continent its competitors control far more of the slots at their home European gateways. www.virgin-atlantic.com

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