VIRGIN Atlantic, British Airways and BMI return to court
today for the second and final day of the Civil Aviation
Authority’s scarce capacity hearing over 21 extra UK-India
flights.
It will be the first time three airlines have gone head to head
in the CAA’s quasi-courtroom. Each will put forward a case
for winning the capacity to a panel chaired by CAA Economic
Regulation Group head Dr Harry Bush. A decision is due by December
3.
Virgin wants 18 of the flights. If successful, it will launch
daily Delhi and Mumbai services and four weekly flights to
Bangalore. It currently flies thrice-weekly Heathrow to Delhi in
codeshare with Air India.
BA is bidding for all 21 of the flights to add to its 19 weekly
services. It wants to ramp up its daily Delhi and Mumbai flights to
twice daily, its twice-weekly Chennai services to six-weekly, and
hopes to launch a thrice-weekly Bangalore service. If it succeeds,
it will keep its thrice-weekly Calcutta programme.
BMI said its competitive fares provide it with an “overwhelming
case”.