So the general consensus is that Virgin doesn't want the slots but will bid unrealistically and then pull a usual 'BA/government is a bully and stopping us from being a consumer champion' line? Most of the slots don't seem to suite the Virgin business model of long-haul trunk routes.

Will be interesting to see who goes for the domestic slots though, maybe a foreign airline like AF-KLM may bid. I certainly think AF would want to bid for the NCE slots.