BRITISH Midland is to launch a national campaign in September to emphasise what it claims are exorbitant British Airways and Virgin Atlantic transatlantic fares.
Adverts will appear in the national press. Leading business groups, including the Confederation of British Industry, will also be contacted during the campaign.
British Midland chairman Sir Michael Bishop is using the adverts to promote his own plans to launch US services from Heathrow next year. He has vowed to undercut existing transatlantic airlines.
The airline has rights to launch services to New York, Washington, Boston and Miami, but is currently barred from the Heathrow routes under UK-US bilateral agreements.
Services may start from Manchester if a new bilateral remains unsigned.
n British Midland launches thrice-daily Leeds/Bradford-Edinburgh weekday flights on September 6. Fares lead in at £79 return.
The airline has also expanded its codeshare agreement with Air New Zealand to include flights between Heathrow, Brussels and Dublin.