UK AND US open-skies negotiators are expected to meet in London later this month to continue talks on providing new transatlantic services from Heathrow and Gatwick.
Plans to give US Airways a new daily Gatwick frequency for Pittsburgh flights in return for a UK airline to offer extra flights from the London airport will be under discussion.
Other proposals include four extra daily Heathrow flights each for UK and US carriers. These are expected to go to British Midland for its Heathrow launch and to two US airlines currently barred from Heathrow, either Delta Air Lines, Continental Airlines, US Airways or Northwest Airlines.
British Midland wants to start flights, including New York, Chicago and Washington, by the summer, probably in conjunction with United Airlines, as it prepares to join Star Alliance. All Gatwick-based US carriers want to switch services to Heathrow.
Major hurdles that negotiators have to overcome before new services can be awarded, involve approval for the British Airways/American Airlines codeshare application and the Pittsburgh request by USAirways. The question of BA and Virgin Atlantic agreeing to more competition at Heathrow is also unresolved.