Originally Posted by
AMC737
An excellent post Sotonsean, just to add to the extensive info you have already posted, pretty much every US carrier that flew schedules to the UK has flown to Gatwick at some point - the one exception being United who only ever had a charter series to Gatwick prior to starting Heathrow in April 1991.
In addition to your list
American Airlines took over Braniff's Dallas/Ft Worth in May 1982 following their collapse, in addition they bought Continentals Miami route in 1989/90, which was previously Easterns and just prior to starting Heathrow in July 1991 had started flights to Chicago, the route authority purchased from TWA but having to start ops at Gatwick until they got Heathrow authority. Over the years in addition they have also flown Boston, New York JFK, Nashville, Raleigh/Durham and St Louis from Gatwick, the latter after the TWA takeover.
Delta flew to Boston and took over Pan Am Miami route in 1991, I don't think Continental ever flew Boston Gatwick.
TWA also flew to Pittsburgh in the 1980's, it also moved Philadelphia from Heathrow in July 1991 as this was the only Heathrow route not sold to American as its sale was blocked by the US authorities, this was flown from Gatwick until sold to US Air along with Baltimore.
I had completely overlooked the fact that American Airlines also flew to Boston, Nashville, Raleigh/Durham and St Louis.
Obviously American Airlines flew to St Louis after the demise of TWA Trans World Airlines in 2001.
Your absolutely correct when you state that Continental Airlines never served Boston from LGW I was getting confused with Delta. It does get a bit confusing when it comes with what US airline flew to what US destinations during this period but I like to think that I've covered it as thoroughly as I can by memory alone.
I had also forgotten about TWA Trans World Airlines flying to Pittsburgh from LGW. They briefly served Pittsburgh for one year in 1989 then Air Total briefly took over the route. Both airlines used the L1011. It was Air Total first and only scheduled transatlantic flight as the airline was basically a charter carrier similar to American Trans Air and Rich International who were also both present at LGW during the same period.
I didn't mention who took over from Braniff International on Dallas or other airline's such as Eastern taking over from Air Florida or Continental Airlines replacing Eastern on Miami as we're obviously discussing the activities of Pan Am at LGW.
Perhaps that could be for another thread as many US airlines came and went during that period. That's why I added that not all airlines and routes operated at the same time at the top of my list.
But as your mentioning Braniff International.
Braniff International went bankrupt on Wednesday 12 May 1982. American Airlines that had originally applied for DFW to LGW and failed in their application to Braniff International took over the route less than two weeks later on the 26 May 1982 flying the route with their small fleet of Boeing 747-123's. From Monday 16 August 1982 American Airlines replaced the Boeing 747-123 on DFW to LGW using their fleet of DC10-30's which were far more suitable for the route.
If you don't mind I might re-edit my previous post to add and delete my errors but I won't go ahead if members think that it's inappropriate to do so (please let me one way or another before I do so)