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Airlines
Branson to U.S. Presidential Candidates: BA & AA Alliance Spells Bad News for Competition
August 10, 2008 at 12:50 PM | 0 Comments
Sir Richard Branson, a groovy rich guy from England who owns Virgin Atlantic airlines and enjoys doing fun, crazy stuff, sent a letter to U.S. presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama on Sunday warning that the proposed British Airways/American Airlines alliance would stifle competition and hurt consumers.
Not one for understatement, Branson also plans a nearly $6 million advertising and lobbying campaign intended to derail the pending deal.
Even though Branson has his own financial reasons to hope a deal doesn't go down, his complaints may well resonate with the candidates and consumers, as rising fares, disappearing routes, and lackluster service combine to make air travel a much bigger hassle than it ought to be.
