Virgin in fresh calls for shake-up of Heathrow aircraft slots

Virgin Atlantic has stepped up calls on the government to reform the way take-off and landing slots are allocated at an expanded Heathrow, with a report highlighting the lack of competition on some routes out of the UK’s biggest airport. The study by WPI Economics, commissioned by Virgin, found that around one in four passengers flying from Heathrow only had the option to fly with International Airlines Group, the owner of British Airways, which this week saw almost all of its BA flights grounded during a 48-hour pilot walkout. The report estimates that IAG operated 77 monopoly routes out of Heathrow this summer. IAG is Heathrow’s biggest customer, operating over half of all take-off and landing slots. The next largest groups are Lufthansa with 8 per cent and Virgin Atlantic/Delta with 7 per cent, according to the report. Virgin has been campaigning for a change to the way slots are allocated to ensure there is more competition when Heathrow expands with a third runway. The UK government is expected to publish its aviation strategy white paper later this year, which should include proposals for the reform of the slot allocation process at UK airports. “Expansion provides an opportunity to totally rethink how we allocate take off and landing slots to enable the creation of a second flag carrier that can compete,” said Matthew Lesh, head of research at the Adam Smith Institute. “Consumers need competition to ensure that disruption to one airline doesn’t destroy travel plans and that they can access more flights to more destinations.”<br/>