Originally Posted by number_6

Gibraltar has always been about politics, so this is the primary consideration. The story I've heard (3rd hand) is that BA wants to drop GB, cannot, and is instead changing terms and cutting routes to make it profitable for BA. I suppose for OWE purposes the only concern is GIB-LHR service, and that is not in danger.

But BA has really gutted regional UK service, even "flagship" non-London routes like MAN-TXL have been cut! JFK-MAN would be cut except for its political protection. The sad part is that BA is motivated by protecting a fortress hub at LHR; replacing point-to-point services by hubbing in LHR is a good way to soak up the LHR slots with UK domestic flights, and keep those pesky EU airlines from having a chance at starting long-haul flights out of LHR. Very blatant move by BA and a dis-service to their customers. If the fur flies (and it will), BA might dive for political cover by divesting all regional flights, in order to prove that it wasn't about LHR after all. And that could result in Comair being dumped in JNB just to show that BA is doing this as a strategy and nothing to do with LHR.