Monitoring of the commitments given by IAG to the European Commission in relation to its acquisition of bmi
Source: gov.uk (2025-08-07)

The CMA is monitoring the commitments given by International Consolidated Airlines Group, S.A (IAG) to the European Commission (the 'Commission') in relation to its acquisition of bmi on 30 March 2012 (Case No COMP/M.6447) (the 'Commitments').

Responsibility for monitoring of the Commitments

Transfer of enforcement powers

Following Commission Decision (EU) 2024/1665 of 12 June 2024, the enforcement powers for Case No COMP/M.6447 concerning the acquisition by IAG of bmi (‘Case M.6447’) were transferred from the Commission to the CMA on 1 July 2024 (the ‘Transfer’). (*)

Post-Transfer, Forvis Mazars LLP continues to be the monitoring trustee (the ‘Trustee’) for the monitoring of the Commitments given by IAG to the Commission in relation to Case M.6447 on 30 March 2012 (the ‘Commitments’).

The Commitments and other case related information can be downloaded directly from the Commission’s case page (https://competition-cases.ec.europa.eu/cases/M.6447).

(*) The CMA’s monitoring and enforcement powers in relation to transferred EU commitments are set out under Sections 95A and 95B of the Enterprise Act 2002.

Responsibilities of the Trustee

The general responsibilities of the Trustee are set out in section 6 of the Commitments. The Trustee also has specific responsibilities which are set out throughout the Commitments.

Outcome of the Winter 2025 to 2026 slot award process

31 July 2025: Pursuant to Clause 1.1.1 of the Commitments, IAG undertakes to, among other things, procure that slots are made available at London Heathrow airport in order to allow one or more prospective entrant(s) to operate or increase their services on the city pairs identified in the Commitments. The CMA has approved a slot release agreement which will allow a new competitor, Riyadh Air, to enter the London-Riyadh route. As part of this process, Riyadh Air has been awarded one daily slot pair commencing in the IATA Winter 2025 to 2026 Season. The CMA has made this award in accordance with Clause 1.2 the definition of ‘prospective entrant’ in the Commitments and having concluded that the conditions set out in Clause 1.4.9 of the Commitments are met.

Slot release procedure for IATA summer 2026 season

Under the Commitments, applicants are entitled to apply for slots to operate from London Heathrow airport to the following destinations:
- Aberdeen
- Edinburgh
Slots awarded shall be for operations commencing from the IATA Summer 2026 season (for example, 29 March 2026).

Key dates for the Slot Release Procedure for the Summer 2026 season are set out below. Applicants wishing to apply for Slots should apply to the Trustee.

Further information is available on the Trustee’s website (https://www.forvismazars.com/uk/en/services/audit-assurance/monitoring-trustee-remedies-compliance-services/case-no-comp-m.6447-iag-bmi).

Slot release timetable procedure for IATA summer 2026 season

Contact

Trustee: Justin Menezes, Partner, Forvis Mazars LLP, xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx), xx-xxxx-xxxx

CMA: Rhiannon Jackson, Principal Case Officer, xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx), xx-xxxx-xxxx

CMA: Maria Duarte, Director, xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx), xx-xxxx-xxxx

Your name and contact details are your personal data. In collecting, receiving, storing, accessing and using your personal data, the CMA, as controller, is processing your personal data. The CMA processes personal data in accordance with data protection law. The CMA is processing your personal data so that it can contact you again, should it need further help or information from you, in order to carry out its merger work under Part 3 of the Enterprise Act 2002. For more information about how the CMA processes personal data and your rights relating to that data, please see our Privacy Notice (https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/competition-and-markets-authority/about/personal-information-charter).