British Airways is to widen the role of Airline Management (AML), its low-cost joint venture which operates long-haul routes from Gatwick Airport, as part of an expansion which will see BA's capacity from London's second airport increase by 25% from mid-1998.
It has confirmed plans to transfer five Boeing 777-200s to Gatwick as part of the expansion from February 1998. These will replace McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30s on routes to Atlanta, Bermuda and Dallas.
Meanwhile, BA is transferring its Jamaican services to AML, increasing frequencies to Kingston and Montego Bay to four flights a week from three. AML will also operate new routes to Cancun in Mexico, Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic and Tobago in the Caribbean on BA's behalf, while more flights will be added on most of its own routes.
Initially, the AML services will be operated by McDonnell Douglas DC-10s leased from BA in the airline's colours, and flown by BA flightcrews.
It is expected that the AML DC-10s will be replaced by Boeing 777s, beginning in 1999, at which time the crewing arrangements may be re-organised.
Source: Flight International
