Today's the Day (IB/BA)

[Garry Russell]

The British Airways/Iberia merger is due to be completed today (21st January) Share trading starts on the 24th

Identities and brands to remain unchanged (so why merge??), head office Madrid with the operation based at LHR.

BA are also expecting the results of a strike ballot, so perhaps nothing has changed.

Old news I know, as these things take time, but today is the day it is due to become a reality.

[gold speedbird]

The brands only remain for marketing reasons. Both brands now belong to the new airline: International Airlines Group - headed up by Willie Walsh.

There'll be less investment in Heathrow now and an expansion of Madrid as a long-haul hub to compete with the Gulf hubs of Qatar, Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Ian (the member formerly known as speedbird591, when I could still log in to my account!)

[DarrenL]

Maybe the reason BA are merging with Iberia is because of Spains excellent record of not striking at the drop of a hat and want to bring that attitude across to BA............ on no, hang on.

[Garry Russell]

Hi Ian

Didn't know you couldn't log on

Yep...I realise there will be changes....they say things will carry on as normal but of course they won't

I wonder how long it will be before something becomes obvious

[TSR2]

Hi Ian,

I'll reset your password to something suitable and PM you.

[DaveB]

Ahh.. I wondered who this new 'Gold Speedbird' chappie was.. even checked the email address and didn't recognise it We'll have you back in no time 591

ATB

DaveB

[Garry Russell]

As Iberia 591??

[speedbird591]

Hello. I'm back! Thanks, Ben.

There's a very interesting article in 'Up to Speed', the new monthly BA magazine for staff, about the Gulf hubs and how they're aiming for all the long-haul transit traffic. Here are some of the statistics.

Dubai. By 2020 when the new £30Bn, World's largest, 5 runway airport is finished, Emirates will have a fleet of over 400 long-haul aircraft.
Doha. New 24m passenger capacity airport opens in 18 months. Qatar has 82 aircraft with another 180 on order and a network of 90 routes.
Abu Dhabi. 20m passenger capacity by 2020. Etihad plans to expand the hub so much that the population of Abu Dhabi will triple by 2030.

And of course, those airlines are currently loss-making and supported by their governments' oil wealth so they don't need to be competitive.

IAG (BA, IB and eventually AA) has no choice but to expand at Madrid as there is no capacity in the UK for expansion even on a moderate scale.

Ian

[Garry Russell]

Also Etihad with 57 aircraft and 103 on order

Now BAW/IBE are merged I wonder if they would considered combing some of the same schedules and times flown by both airlines into one flight with a bigger aircraft?


More importantly though...

Welcome back Ian

[TSR2]

There should be more benefits from merging the organisations too, Buying power for aircraft, fuel etc etc I would imagine would be considerable. Also would it not also be possible to use staff from other countries to cover industrial disputes? It should make the impact of any disputes considerably less.