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Old Aug 15, 2005 | 12:30 pm
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BamaVol
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Originally Posted by magexpect
As some of you may know, one of the routes I travel the most is ZRH-CDG or LGW-ATL and back.
I have never been able to find out why ATL is always treated by both airlines almost as second class destination. I mean by that, that BA stubbornly has its flights out of LGW which almost requires a stopover in London if one wants to fly out of ZRH or have to transfer by bus from LHR to LGW, which , since 9/11 is a real pain as one cannot check luggage through any more.
BA waited almost two years before finally converting its C-class to the new.
Air France is doing the same, promising now for a year that the new F and C would be installed but according to the last info I have, it will not be the case until 2006.
CDG-ATL on AF or LGW-ATL on BA are almost always full. Some so-called "prestige" routes, like LHR-HKG or CDG-NYC have received the new classes almost immediately but when on these flights, most of the times I have never encountered more than two or three passengers in F and was surprised to see half of C full.
Many times also, the ATL flights arriving in CDG or LGW do not get a gate but are left on the apron and by all kinds of weather, the passengers have to be transferred by bus.
Can anyone explain why such busy and I suppose, profitable routes are always so neglected?

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I'll make a wild guess and say it's because the competition hasn't forced them to.

Reminds me of an old joke.

2 men are hiking in the woods when accosted by an angry grizzly bear. One man starts to run, the other kneels down to lace his running shoes tighter. The first turns back around and says "Are you crazy, you can't outrun an adult grizzly bear." The second replies, "I don't have to outrun the bear, I just have to outrun you."
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