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Bmi/United ‘to merge transtlantic services’
Bmi and United Airlines are tipped to be planning a merger of their transatlantic services under new open skies rules.
The two airlines have reportedly applied to the US Department of Transportation to forge a transatlantic alliance.
Bmi believes an alliance with United will strengthen its position at Heathrow where it holds 12% of the airport’s take off and landing slots and wants to start serving the US.
Currently Bmi is barred from flying to the US from Heathrow under restrictions that limit only two UK and two US carriers, including United, to the lucrative North Atlantic market.
Bmi chief executive Nigel Turner, quoted in The Times, said: “This paves the way for an alliance; it does not guarantee it. We want to put in place all the steps now to fully take advantage of open skies.”
The arrangement would allow passengers to deal with one airline when they book tickets although the two carriers would remain indepedent, The Times reported.
The new EU-US open skies arrangement comes into force from October and will apply to the London hub next March when more space is freed up with the opening of Terminal 5.
by Phil Davies
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