Originally Posted by
willy wombat
There seems to be some misunderstanding of the leisure market in that at least one post seems to suggest that there is little leisure traffic at Heathrow. This is not the case and I’m sure someone on here can give us the LHR business/leisure split.
I’m not sure anyone is ignorant enough to believe there isn’t a leisure market at LHR. But the market that BA are targeting at LGW is almost entirely leisure based - and this is the sector expected to rebound the quickest. Will BA/IAG need 14 daily flights from LHR-NYC in the next couple of years? Probably not.
Originally Posted by
FRatSTN
I'd beg to differ. Whilst I would be surprised to see a complete pull out from LGW, there's no doubting BA will have to resize and restructure their network. Apply that same quote to LHR and would be in full agreement I'm sure with many others.
If that means they move the likes of Bordeaux, Seville, Verona or on long-haul Orlando, Antigua etc. as well as consolidate others (ie FCO, NCE) at LHR to maintain slot position there, I'm sure they'd do so. They have to protect their slot portfolio at LHR, there's virtually no doubt of that.
Assuming the 80% slot rule is reinstated - chances are it won’t be in the near future anyway - if BA plans to have 80% of its pre-covid schedule back by the new year, it wouldn’t have to lose a single slot in either LHR or LGW. Any excesses can be leased to other airlines - Vueling for example.
An airline obsessed with crushing competition, there’s no way that BA will give up any slots at either of these airports.