BRITISH Airways' parent company has been given the go-ahead to purchase rival airline BMI from Lufthansa after European regulators set conditions on the controversial deal.
International Airlines Group won approval from the European Commission after agreeing to release 14 landing slot pairs at Heathrow to rival airlines, half of which will be used for services to Edinburgh and Aberdeen. The company also promised to allow domestic airlines to connect with its network of international destinations from Heathrow.
It provided some reassurance to opponents who claimed that giving BA an effective monopoly on routes between Heathrow and Scotland would drive up fares and lead to a lower frequency of services.
However, Colin Keir, SNP MSP for Edinburgh Western, said he was disappointed the deal had gone through.
"It can't be healthy for competition and passenger choice to have a monopoly on a major route," he said.
Liz Cameron, chief executive of Scottish Chambers of Commerce, welcomed the new commitments but said the allotment of slots for Scotland appeared to be "rather meagre".
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