UK business class passengers ‘paying 50% more to fly to US’
UK travellers are paying an average 50% more for a business class ticket from Heathrow to the US compared to the same class seat from other major European destinations, bmi has claimed.
The airline published the figures to demonstrate how much the current “protectionist” Bermuda II air service agreement between the UK and US agreement could be costing UK travellers. Bermuda II restricts two UK and two US carriers to serve the US from Heathrow.
Bmi told the House of Commons Transport Committee that it should recommend that the government “publicly stand by its liberalising principles” and commit to backing the new draft US-Europe open skies agreement.
The government will have the opportunity to do that at the next EU Transport Ministers Council meeting later this month, according to the airline.
Bmi analysed published non-discounted unrestricted business class fares on routes between both the UK and the US and between European cities and US destinations.
The airline’s figures show that British Airways and Virgin Atlantic charges £5,104 Heathrow-New York while the equivalent fare from Frankfurst costs £2,490 with Lufthansa, £2,872 from Amsterdam with KLM and £2,246 from Stockholm with SAS.
Chief executive Nigel Turner said: “It is scandalous that under the current unlawful Bermuda II agreement UK travellers have been forced into a position where they could be paying up to twice as much for their ticket on some routes to the US compared to equivalent flights from mainland Europe.
“This cannot and must not continue. The British Government needs to wake up and see how the current protectionist agreement is hurting UK travellers.
“It has knowingly supported this unlawful agreement and now is the time for it to act. The only beneficiaries to the current regime are the four airlines that keep a stranglehold on the transatlantic market where they are immune from any meaningful competition.”
by Phil Davies
Phil Davies
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