National Express are looking to close their Dot2Dot airport transfer service
by the first quarter of next year, unless a buyer can be found. The service
has delivered a loss of £5m since inception - a worse than expected
performance for this 'start up' venture.

Dot2Dot runs a fleet of high-spec'd Mercedes and VW mini-buses, ferrying
tourists and business folk between Heathrow and central London hotels/Canary
Wharf, on a pre-booked basis. Fares were typically circa £20 one way (more
to Docklands), although I note there is now a £16 special offer on their web
site, advertised as under-cutting HEX.

This always struck me as being a (small) niche market. Those with generous
expense accounts ((prepare for backlash!)) no doubt continue to find black
cabs or HEX more convenient and flexible, whilst the pool of leisure
travellers willing to stump up £80 for a group of four must be somewhat
limited.

I suspect, in hindsight, NatEx are glad they got out of GatEx when they did,
with Southern already reporting that demand is softening. Indeed, the
enhanced Brighton main line service (from December) now looks somewhat
ill-timed.

Chris