I dont understand why Virgin dont just sell their LHR slots to someone (other than BA), and move lock stock and barrel to become an anchor tenant at LGW.
Yields collapse and LGW. Put it another way, when VS moved LGW-US round the M25 yields went up by enough % points to be more than worth the move. Profits would collapse and losses grow if they walked away from LHR. Besides they have a massive investment in their LHR base.
Manchester is a key airport for us, with over 65% of people who fly to London connecting to other flights, the majority to destinations we already serve, including Boston, Cape Town and Hong Kong.
What this does mean is that any use of B787s to do long haul from MAN looks to be dead in the water.