BRITISHAirways is set for another battle with Virgin Atlantic over services to South Africa following a decision to allow one more daily frequency from the UK.
UK and South African authorities have both agreed to allow the extra frequency between the two countries from October.
BA wants the additional flight to make its Heathrow-Cape Town service a daily service or use it to make the Heathrow-Johannesburg a double-daily operation.
Virgin said it would launch a weekly Heathrow-Cape Town service to complement its existing daily Johannesburgoperation.
A spokesman for Virgin said that the airline expects a Civil Aviation Authority hearing in October to decide which carrier gets the slot.
He claimed it was Virgin’s turn to receive the new frequency as BA was given an extra service last year. Virgin will build the Cape Town route up over time.
In a similar situation last year, BA was chosen instead of Virgin to receive the extra flight, which it then used for Cape Town services.
South African Airways and start-up carrier African Star will share up to five new frequencies for South Africa-UK flights.