Heathrow Fare Wars in the Works?
Just as we were turning our attention to the fare war in the Bay Area, London Heathrow is set to see some fierce competition that could lower airfares. Long protected from trans-Atlantic competition, routes between LHR and the U.S. will be up for grabs starting in March.
And according to the London Times, things will be heating up:
Delta is likely to serve New York, Atlanta and one other American city, with Air France studying a Los Angeles service.
At this point, the airlines haven't officially announced these routes, but if Delta and Air France get going, you can bet Continental and Northwest will want to fire up service through their own hubs, too.
What remains to be seen is if passengers actually prefer Heathrow. While a new terminal sounds like a pleasure, it's for British Airways flights, not American carriers. And plenty of discount carriers fly to London's other, less congested airports. If people aren't clamoring for tickets on the new routes, you can be sure fares to LHR won't fall.
Related Stories:
· BA Facing Fierce Fight at Heathrow [Times Online]
· The Good News About London Heathrow [Jaunted]
· Bay Area Fare Wars Continue [Jaunted]
[Photo: Damek]
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