Virgin Atlantic today welcomed the announcement by the European commission that it is to open an investigation into the proposed BA/American Airlines alliance with Iberia. BA and AA recently applied for permission to fix prices and schedules on routes across the Atlantic

Steve Ridgway chief executive of Virgin Atlantic said:

"The European Commission have rightly begun an investigation, under their own initiative, because they understand that consumers will be worse off if this alliance proceeds. The proposals would create a monster monopoly, which would mean that BA/AA and Iberia would be way too dominant on key routes into and out of Heathrow airport.

"The European Commission will also be aware that the fragile state of the European economy is no excuse for BA/AA to be given the go ahead, as we all know that monopolies never work in the consumers favor, in good times or bad."

BA/AA and Iberia would control nearly half of all slots at London Heathrow and would operate between 63% and 80% of all flights between Heathrow and key cities in the US, such as JFK, Chicago, Boston and Miami.

For further information please contact the Virgin Atlantic Press Office on +44 (0) 1293 747373 or log onto www.virginatlantic.com