LV-London daily flight may become key point in bargaining

Monday, Oct. 4, 1999 | 11:17 a.m.

British Airways is abandoning its daily flights from London to Pittsburgh, but that doesn't mean US Airways will finally succeed in its bid for the same route.

Instead, the British government intends to give the route to Virgin Airways for a daily flight from London to Las Vegas.

US Airways has been seeking approval from the U.S. Department of Transportation and has been lobbying federal, state and Pittsburgh-area officials for the route that British Airways will abandon Oct. 31.

Last week, US Airways executives were in London to press their case.

On Friday, US Airways general counsel Lawrence Nagin criticized the British government's decision.

It "underscores the the essential anticompetitive, anticonsumer nature of the current U.S.-U.K. air agreement governing flying between the two countries," Nagin said.

"British Airways, for its own economic reasons, abandons service in Pittsburgh and then another British carrier is allowed to shift that service to another U.S. city. US Airways, which is ready, willing and anxious to serve the route, is prohibited from doing so," he said.

"Jobs and economic well-being are at stake in the Pittsburgh region and restoration of Pittsburgh-to-London service is an urgent international aviation issue for the United States."

Under the current aviation treaty between the United States and England, the British government has control over who gets the route.

U.S. officials would technically have to approve the new Las Vegas route.

Denying it would be "sort of tantamount to reneging on the air services agreement," said David Tait, a Virgin executive vice president.

Allegheny County Aviation Director Kent George said Rodney Slater, the U.S. transportation secretary, will be asked to use the Las Vegas route as a bargaining chip. In exchange for its approval, British Airways could be asked to allow US Airways to start a Pittsburgh flight to London, George suggested.

He said it was "patently wrong" to move the route to another city when US Airways is willing to take it over. U.S. and British officials will discuss air transportation issues at a meeting later this month.

Tait, the Virgin Airlines official, said he expects the Las Vegas flights to begin next spring.