Originally Posted by Dudster
This is incorrect. The US-UK bilateral air services agreement (commonly referred to as Bermuda II) allows only two designations from each of the US and UK to use LHR (and in fact also limits the US destinations that can serve LHR). Between the UK and other countries, usage of LHR depends on the agreement between the UK and that country. The EU open skies agreement means that an unlimited number of carriers from any EU country could use LHR, with the caveat being that they would need slots. Slot control is indepenent of the bilaterals.
Yes and no. Yes, they are independent, but no, they are not mutually exclusive. Access to LHR is very much a chip in the bilateral talks.
Also, the purpose of the US/EU bilaterals are to
modify the existing relationship... so anything is possible!
Personally... who wants to deal with LHR anyway??? I don't care how much closer it is to London, considering the 1 1/2 hour queues at Terminal 3 arrivals! I much prefer LGW... I am from the plane to the centre of London (via LGW Express) in half the time as LHR.