Threat to air service
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BRITISH AIRWAYS' Heathrow Airport to Central London terminal coach service was discussed in the House of Lords recently when Baroness Burton of Coventry, backed by Baroness Trumpington, urged, but without success, that the Government should ensure the coach service continues.
British Airways say that no decision has yet been taken to drop the service, but that could be a possibility.
Last year BA aircraft carried 9.8m short-haul passengers and 4.2m long-haul passengers, but only 923,000 used the coach service and this figure has been dropping dramatically since the Piccadilly tube line was opened three years ago.
The airline would not say whether the service was losing money, but did reveal that the bus fleet would need replacing from next year and this would cost over £1 — a figure it can ill afford.
BA told CM that in negotiations with London Transport LT had said that it would operate the service in principle subject to satisfactory arrangements.
LT operated the former BA European Division Cromwell Road to Heathrow service with a fleet of specially adapted AEC Routemaster double-deck coaches. This service stopped after the introduction of the tube link.