Originally Posted by
Sotonsean
Does anyone have any further information regarding TAAG Angola Airlines and their plans to inaugurate Luanda to London Gatwick.
TAAG announced a few months ago that they would commence service three times weekly in December 2023. There are no flights bookable on their official website or any news items related to London.
TAAG Angola Airlines has even been removed from the London Gatwick Wikipedia page.
It'll be a shame if TAAG Angola Airlines are not going ahead with their planned Luanda to London service.
On another note.
An article I've recently read on another aviation website mentions that Air Zimbabwe hopes to resume service between Harare and London Gatwick in January 2024, flying three times weekly with a Boeing 767-300.
Air Tanzania have previously stated that they also intend on resuming service between Dar Es Salaam and London Gatwick once the airline receives it's third Boeing 787-8. Air Tanzania hopes to receive their third Boeing 787-8 in Q2 2024.
That could possibly be upto three African national airline's joining the ever growing long haul airline network at London Gatwick.
Also on another note.
Regarding South African Airways. Do or more to the point did they previously lease their slots at London Heathrow?
South African Airways is yet to resume flights between Johannesburg and London Heathrow. The airline has only just recently resumed flying long haul with flights between Cape Town and Johannesburg and Sao Paulo.
If and when South African Airways announces a resumption of service between Johannesburg and London I wonder if the airlines previous slots at London Heathrow are still available to them. The airline has as most of you know, experienced a very turbulent few years and more.
"Perhaps" the cash strapped carrier "might" consider London Gatwick if they can't obtain the suitable slots for a return to London Heathrow.
Regarding SAA, I'd say an entry into LGW is definitely possible. There have been examples of airlines in recent years who have had to sell their LHR slots for some £££s and relocate elsewhere in London. Cyprus Airways did just this when they left LHR and moved to STN in 2014, and Air Mauritius have done something similar recently by relocating the London route to LGW and increasing it to daily. So SAA may do something similar, but I'd reckon they will do everything they can to remain at LHR first prior to considering LGW as a last resort. Gatwick has admittedly done very well this year in diversifying its airline and route mix and the long haul airline composition is now looking a lot better than it did during Covid, similar to what we saw in 2019, so hopefully they can continue to attract new airlines here. Carriers at LGW pre-Covid in 2019 that are no longer here include:
China Airlines- Now at LHR, so doubtful they'd come back to Gatwick, unless they really needed to increase frequency and need access to additional London airport slots.
Cathay Pacific - Discussed previously in this thread. Looking ahead to 2024, and depending on the progress of their capacity recovery programme, I hope CX will be back operating at LGW next year. LHR has already begun reverting to the pre-pandemic 5 daily 77W operation, so hopefully LGW will be re-opened, as the route worked well alongside the airline's Heathrow operation up to the pandemic.
Norwegian (long haul) - Ceased operations during Norwegian's restructuring. Now largely replaced by Norse Atlantic.
RwandAir - Moved to LHR during the pandemic. Unlikely to see them back at Gatwick again.
Virgin Atlantic - Closed LGW in May 2020 to consolidate at LHR during the pandemic. CEO mentioned last November that connectivity seems to be a priority for them now, that LGW lacks, so a return to LGW seems unlikely in the near future sadly, although they could return if they needed to shift some of their leisure/beach routes to LGW in order to free up expansion at their main LHR base.
WestJet - Previously served LGW year-round, although will return to Gatwick with routes to Halifax and St John's with the 737-MAX in S24, albeit seasonally only.