Air season ticket scheme takes off

BRITISH Midland Airways has launched a season ticket for pounds 699, saving up to 38 per cent on business class air fares within the UK, or up to 29 per cent compared with first-class rail fares. It can be used between London Heathrow and Glasgow, Edinburgh, Belfast, Leeds/Bradford or Teesside.

Although the airline denies the scheme is linked directly to the rail strike, it has already carried 23,000 extra passengers in July.