Letter: Virgin's fight over transatlantic slots

Sir: Richard Quest says that none of the other carriers (I presume including Virgin) has devoted the same resources to London as BA-American with their 60 per cent combined market share and 80 per cent control of peak-time transatlantic slots ("Merger will not stifle competition", 12 November). What he forgets to mention is that the only reason we haven't is because we are not allowed to! Virgin would love to fly six times a day to New York and have been applying for more slots for years and years.

If the two governments allow the effective merger of these globally dominant carriers there will be even less competition across the Atlantic and Mr Quest can kiss goodbye to what service he gets today. Slots are the key and these two monopolists still insist they are not on the table.

RICHARD BRANSON

Chairman

Virgin Group of Companies

London W8