Flight International – 6 August 2019

ightglobal.com 6-12 August 2019 | Flight International | 35

airline services

some far-sighted views of how the airline in-

dustry might develop. At the time, trains and

ships dominated the continental and inter-

continental travel scene respectively, but

Holt Thomas was already convinced that air

services between London and New York

would eventually become a commercial

proposition. But even he would be amazed at

the extraordinary evolution the industry he

helped create has undergone over the past

century. One wonders what Holt Thomas

might predict could be in store for the UK’s

national airline over the next 100 years.

But respected aviation analyst Chris Tarry

of CTAIRA says it is impossible to know.

“The reality is that it is increasingly unclear

how air transport will develop even over the

medium term of the next 10-30 years, given

the increasing pressures for politicians to act

in response to emissions and where taxation

in fact does not solve the problem,” he says.

sustainability focus

“The issue is also how to provide affordable,

environmentally appropriate travel over any-

thing more than around 200nm (400km). We

are likely to see behavioural, structural and

technical changes, but it’s unclear what the

combined effect might be.”

Tarry says that the real issues for BA and its

parent, IAG, are much closer at hand. “Against

this background and absent acquisition, then

organic growth over the near and medium term

is likely to be pedestrian at best.”

In our 29 January 1920 issue, Flight report-

ed on a speech given by Holt Thomas at the

Association of British Chambers of

Commerce: “Mr. Holt Thomas again took the

opportunity of pointing out how the apathy of

the Government towards civil aviation is

destroying our lead in the air. As he pointed

out, it is not charity that is wanted, but merely

vision and common sense.”

Perhaps those words are as true today as

they were in 1920. ■

Max Kingsley-Jones/FlightGlobal

Max Kingsley-Jones/FlightGlobal

British Airways succeeded BEA

and BOAC, launching with the

colourful Negus scheme

Flag carrier is also marking centenary

with a 747 in BOAC colours

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