Virgin Atlantic goes on the attack again

Virgin Atlantic has once again launched an attack on British Airways (BA) and American Airlines (AA) regarding their planned partnership.

The airline accused British Airways and American Airlines of trying to "stitch up" the air corridor between the UK and the United States.

According to Virgin Atlantic, an alliance between these two giants of the aviation industry would control 79 per cent of capacity between London Heathrow and Boston.

The airline's figures also suggest that British Airways and American Airlines could monopolise 63 per cent of flights between London Heathrow and New York JFK, 66 per cent of capacity between Heathrow and Chicago and 75 per cent of flights from Heathrow to Miami.

Steve Ridgway, chief executive of Virgin Atlantic, said: "BA/AA isn't just another alliance. It is an attempt to stitch up the most important long-haul routes from Europe's most important airport, London Heathrow.

"BA and AA want to roll back the successes of deregulation and liberalisation in international aviation. In the case of BA, the lack of anti-trust immunity didn't stop them achieving a ten per cent operating margin last year. BA and AA want to have their cake and eat it, at consumers' expense."

British Airways chief executive Willie Walsh has argued that an alliance between his company and American Airlines would enable the oneworld alliance, which they belong to, to compete with the rival airline groups of Star Alliance and Skyteam.

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