[ 2021-03-05 ]

Why British Airways rescinded decision to re-route Accra – London flights
British Airways has rescinded an earlier move to
re-route flights from Heathrow to Gatwick for
passengers travelling on the Accra – London
route.

Joy Business has learned that passengers on the
Accra – London route will thus land at their
original destination, that is, Heathrow instead of
Gatwick.

British Airways got the slot relief in the UK upon
a stimulus approval from the European Commission.
This is to protect airlines and prevent the
environmental harm that would be caused by running
empty flights merely for the sake of keeping the
slots for the next year.

An extension of the possibility to temporarily
prolong the validity of driving licences,
roadworthiness tests and other specific licences,
certificates and authorisations will help
transport operators and citizens who are unable to
fulfil certain administrative requirements because
of COVID-19 restrictions.



Slot relief

Under the general EU airport slot requirements,
airlines must use at least 80% of their take-off
and landing slots in order to keep them the
following year.

Airlines will now be granted the possibility to
return 50% of their slot series before the start
of the 2021 summer season, but they will have to
use at least 50% of the remaining slots if they
want to hold on to them.

Ghana’s opposition

The Aviation Ministry, in January, rejected the
announcement by British Airways to switch the
London-Accra-London services from Heathrow Airport
to Gatwick Airport.

British Airways made its decision known without
explaining much the reasons why.

According to the Aviation Ministry, British
Airways went ahead with the move without any
consultation with the Government of Ghana.

“At the said meeting, the BA team promised to
provide further information and data analysis to
support their reason for the changes of their
services from London Heathrow Airport to London
Gatwick Airport and to enable the Government of
Ghana to take a final position on the matter. The
BA team is yet to provide any information as
promised,” excerpts of the statement revealed.

In other related news, British Airways has secured
a £2 billion loan to help it weather the pandemic
and be ready for a recovery in demand.

The carrier’s owner International Airlines Group
(IAG) – which also owns Iberia and Aer Lingus
– said the five-year loan facility was
underwritten by a syndicate of banks and is
partially guaranteed by the Government’s UK
Export Finance (UKEF).



British Airways, which is set to drawdown from the
loan in January, is able to repay the loan at any
time with notice, but is bound by some
restrictions on dividend payments by the airline
to IAG.

IAG said the loan will “provide British Airways
with the operational and strategic flexibility to
take advantage of a partial recovery in demand for
air travel in 2021 as Covid-19 vaccines are
distributed worldwide”.

Source - Joyfm

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