AS the British Airways crisis unfolded, the airline revealed plans to axe 10 unprofitable leisure routes from Birmingham and Manchester next winter. Flights affected are Manchester to Pisa, Rome, Stuttgart, Zurich, Nice, Venice, Shannon and Cork; and flights from Birmingham to Vienna and Rome. A BA spokeswoman said the decision reflected BA’s desire to focus its short-haul CitiExpress operations on profitable, point-to-point business routes rather than leisure routes facing increasingly stiff competition from low-cost airlines. BA has secured a financial deal with an undisclosed European airline to sub-lease its six 110-seater Avro RJ100s from this winter. The aircraft are currently used on the affected routes. A Birmingham International Airport spokeswoman said the airport hoped other carriers would be attracted to the airport once BA pulls out. A spokesperson for Manchester Airport said the airport was optimistic other airlines would fill the vacant Shannon-Rome route.
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