Originally Posted by
willy wombat
Not entirely correct. There was quite a long period 80s/90s when the only operator LGWAMS was Transavia. Cityflyer Express started on the route late 1990s (as BA Express). It was one of CityFlyer’s most profitable routes.
I seem to remember that BA had relinquished LGW-AMS to Dan-Air during the 1990 / '91 winter timetable period, initially continuing the 3 daily BA rotations and then building up frequency to up to five daily during the 1991 summer timetable period and contiung to operate the route until Dan-Air was taken over by BA at the end of 1992 (with BA not continuing the route).
I also seem to remember that at the turn of the millennium KLM had taken over Transavia's four daily LGW-AMS rotations. From memory, the service was withdrawn following 9 / 11, bringing to an end KLM's 2nd Gatwick stint (the first being from 1973 to 1974, when at the start of the 1973 summer timetable period KLM had become the first non-UK airline to split its London operations between LHR and LGW; KLM's the 3× daily LGW-AMS service was withdrawn again in 1974, following the quadrupling of jet fuel prices in the wake of the OPEC countries' oil boycott of the West in retaliation for Western support of Israel during the 1973 Arab-Israeli war).