[BA argues that Chapter 11 is used as another form of state aid and keeps the industry bloated at a time when it would benefit from a sharp reduction in airlines.] In the last four years, the U.S. airlines have soaked up $15 billion to $20 billion (€12 billion-€16 billion) of public subsidies and loan guarantees, ... They're operating in protected markets, they're hoovering up public funds and still they can't make a profit. |
[The figures show] our strategy is delivering results, ... Most notably, our new Club World product (flying beds)... continues to push up yields and win market share from competitors. |
Although the heart of the European profitability problem lies at Gatwick, there's more to fixing Europe than getting Gatwick right, |
America's definition of open skies is that we can come in and do what we like, we want access via Britain to the rest of the EU -- you can't have access to the U.S. internal market. |
I am confident we will have it (Concorde) back in the air by late summer. |
I apologize unreservedly to our customers for the disruption to their travel plans and cancellation of our flights, |
I believe that the basic planks of our strategy ... are a good foundation for a return to profitability, |
I'm confident that we'll complete with 3i (venture capital group), but there are a couple of people waiting in the wings, |
If 50 years of post-war economics has taught us anything, it's this: state subsidies preserve bad habits. |
If it does not, governments will view the industry as an easy target for taxes to fund non-aviation projects. |
In the meantime, we will continue to take steps to improve the performance of our company. Through our fleet and network strategy, through continued product improvement and by working with our established alliance and franchise partners. |
It is part of their contribution as leaders to helping BA through this most difficult of situations, |
It's important to staff and customers, it's important to link New York and London. |
significant change to the size of British Airways as it takes further steps to address its cost base and sets the company on course to achieve a 10 percent operating margin. |
Taxes which doubled the cost of aviation fuel and cost airlines and their passengers £50 billion ($96 billion) each year would cut less than 0.5 percent off the growth of air traffic over a 30 year period. |