Originally Posted by
orbitmic
I don't think this suggests that BA does not have a dominant position at LHR. 55% is a very significant position of dominance (in fact well above the level of dominance that most regulatory authorities would accept on almost any market) and in fact this suggests that BA has an even stronger position of dominance at LHR than AF at CDG or IB at MAD. The comparison with US hubs or even LH at FRA is difficult because those are not as attractive as O/D destinations as, say, London or Paris. In other words, ATL would be a much smaller airport had DL not chosen it as a hub and the same as FRA without LH or even AMS without KL. By contrast, LHR or CDG would suffer less because they serve the two most active metropoles in Europe.
* Note: UA at EWR is a bit different, NYC has massive activity as well, but UA is the only airport to focus primarily on EWR whilst most US airlines focus on JFK and/or LGW and most international airlines on JFK.
Dominance =/= stranglehold, which is the word I objected to.
Also, BA - when purchasing BMI - was forced to give up a dozen slots (which then Virgin misused in the best possible way but that's another matter), proving that the regulator is fine with the situation.
And, finally, unlike Paris, Frankfurt, Amsterdam and others, London has some six other airports where BA is either absent or fairly small. And, again unlike Paris, Frankfurt, Amsterdam and others, LHR is unique in having two longhaul airlines based there and at least one other airline - if not two or even three - on most longhaul routes. Quoting from memory 40 out of 60 routes have at least one direct competitor.
I am happy to critique BA as much as anyone else, but if there's one thing that this country does well in terms of air transport (I'd argue it's the only thing this country does well in this industry) is its openness. The UK, if memory doesn't decieve me, is the European country with the largest number of Open Skies agreements, or the country with the least amount of limits (be it frequency, designated carriers, airports allowed) in bilateral agreements. No other country has the same level of openness to the ME3 for instance. Bottom line: does IAG have a majority of slots at LHR? Yes. Does IAG have a dominant position at LHR? Sure. Is IAG's abusing its dominant position at LHR? No. Does IAG have a stranglehold on LHR? Absolutely not. And let's not even look at the wider London, or UK, market.