Bring back BOAC
I AM left to wonder what it is that Lord Marshall and his airline see in Europe, for the answer cannot be sales or profits. All the growth has come out of what used to be BOAC. I am obliged to Ian Milne for his analysis (in Eurofacts) which shows that sales in Europe have done no more for five years than to keep pace with inflation. They produced an operating loss of £77 million, when business across the Atlantic was bringing in an operating profit of £1,459 million. Of course Europe is a disappoint- ing market. Fares are high, but the compe- tition is state-owned and subsidised, often illegally, with countries rigging the rules in their own favour. The Italians tried hard to make every airline except Alitalia use Milan's new airport, located far away down country lanes in the general direction of Palermo. The single market is almost as far away. Neil Kinnock as Europe's transport commissioner has found himself a comfort- able niche, while Karel Van Miert, as com- missioner for competition, calls the shots and is aiming them at British Airways. Its long-sought alliance with American Air- lines is indefinitely delayed while Luft- hansa's 'Star' alliance has already reached its cruising height. Forget BEA, bring back BOAC. Its tailfins looked smart, too.
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