§ Sir Brian MawhinneyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the reasons which caused him to overturn the CAA's Decision 4/99 of 23 December 1999 in favour of British Airways. [127366]
§ Mr. MullinThe Secretary of State's reasons were set out in full in my Department's Decision Letter issued on 5 April this year, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House.
§ Sir Brian MawhinneyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the occasions, since 1 May 1997, on which he has upheld an appeal by British Airways against a CAA route licence decision, setting out, in each case, the route involved and the original CAA decision. [127365]
§ Mr. MullinThe only occasion on which the Secretary of State has upheld an appeal by British Airways against a CAA route licensing decision since 1 May 1997 was in respect of CAA Decision 4/99 of 23 December 1999 on the appointment of scarce bilateral capacity between the UK and South Africa. The CAA originally decided in favour of Virgin Atlantic Airways, but the Secretary of State overturned its decision on appeal and directed it to award the available capacity to British Airways.