North Atlantic routes buoy BA

THE slump in North Atlantic passenger traffic after the September terrorist attacks will not last as long as the downturn that followed the Gulf War a decade ago, senior British Airways officials are saying for the first time. Revealing that by the start of next month the airline will have reinstated almost all the services to the US that it suspended a fortnight after 11 September, David Noyes, head of sales and marketing for BA in North America, said: 'We are performing ahead of the scenario we put in place at 9/11. It won't take as long to come back as during the Gulf War.'

Heathrow flights to New York's JFK are going back to six a day from five. Heathrow services to Boston and Washington will return to three times a day rather than twice. BA's pull-back from its Gatwick hub, however, means flights from there to JFK will be scrapped.

Noyes said: 'We are on the cusp of economic upturn in the US, and after foot-and-mouth last year there is pent-up demand for people to fly to the UK.' He claimed BA's share of the business market on the North Atlantic route is increasing by between four and five points.

While the premium fare US-UK market is down 12% year-on-year, BA's deficit is only 7.5%. Noyes believes the carrier was winning market share because of its heavy marketing of its flat beds in the Club World cabin.

Concorde is expected to increase to a seven-day-a-week schedule to New York later in the spring although a decision to increase to a twice-daily service will not be taken until later in the year.