GATWICK

[Skipness One Echo]

However, if they were to send an extra 5 7772s to Gatwick to operate more longhaul routes they would need feed

BA don't really feed the long haul they have at the minute as it's aimed at UK resident, high end leisure. So aside from feeding from GLA / EDI / MAN (less so now the early departure was dropped !), BA LGW long haul stands on it's own two feet. This is not the same as a hub, BA used to hub at LGW which meant duplicating a shed load of London flights at both airports, depressing profits on both LHR and LGW. Also every route that moved to LGW lost yield when the traffic stayed at LHR and used the competition. Hence the hub was closed and now BA and VS at LGW have stand alone bases, that do have some feed but do not behave as classic hubs.

[BAladdy]

Italian carrier Meridiana Fly will on the 09th June launch a seasonal 2 x weekly service to OLB from LGW. Flights will operate through until 29th September.

IG185 OLB 08:55 - 10:15 LGW M80 2
IG185 OLB 16:40 - 18:00 LGW 737 6

IG186 LGW 11:05 - 14:25 OLB M80 2
IG186 LGW 18:50 - 22:10 OLB 737 6

M80 = Operated by Meridiana Fly on a MD80
737 = Operated by a Air Italy on a 737

The carrier will also continue there 2 x Daily A319 service to FLR for the whole of the S12 season

[Serenity]

Hong Kong Airlines

Just been browsing the brochure for Hong Kong Airlines new all club service, wow!!

All club service, lounges, baggage allowance is 3 pieces and free sports gear, cabins and food look great and ife and Internet.
A wonderful step up from the lo co's and usual services.

Can't wait to travel with them!!!

[adfly]

A random search in June reveals they are similar in price to BA WTP and although their is nothing wrong with WTP HK airlines seem to have are far superior product in the 'lower' club class! I just hope they can gain a large enough share of the Premium LON-HKG market for the route to succeed.

[Skipness One Echo]

It's being rumoured "elsewhere" that Delta's last remaining flight, the DL12/11 Atlanta, is off to LHR in April, leaving US Airways as the last remaining American legacy at Gatwick.

[Aero Mad]

On the subject of losing routes, it seems that Air Malta will go soon too... all thanks to interference from the EC which for some reason seems to think it knows/has the right to run the airlines of member states. Bizarre.

Labour:
Brussels confirms doubts on Air Malta

[cornishsimon]

It's being rumoured "elsewhere" that Delta's last remaining flight, the DL12/11 Atlanta, is off to LHR in April, leaving US Airways as the last remaining American legacy at Gatwick.

Makes you wonder if BA might add some USA flights ex Gatwick any time soon, i notice that BA @ LGW is going to be all NF very shortly, well the few aircraft based at gatters that have First fitted anyway !

cs

[SWBKCB]

On the subject of losing routes, it seems that Air Malta will go soon too... all thanks to interference from the EC which for some reason seems to think it knows/has the right to run the airlines of member states. Bizarre.

No - it's about ensuring fair competition and making sure that when Govts. put money into loss making airlines they have a sound reason for doing so, and are not doing it to disadvantage competitors.

[Aero Mad]

If they were interested in fair competition then they wouldn't pull Air Malta out of Gatwick to leave easyJet as the only carrier regularly servicing the route (yes, I know about Thomas Cook and Thomson but they are very much less regular). Same goes for many of the other airports they are pulling them out of

[LGS6753]

Aero -

If you read the article you posted the link to, it states that KM will not relinquish any LHR or LGW slots.

[Aero Mad]

They don't want to, but they are at the mercy of the providers of 130m euros of funding - we'll see what happens.

[EI-A330-300]

Delta pull out of LGW from 18 of April. Not being moved to LHR as there are dropping a service from there also.

[Skipness One Echo]

Actually they are moving the ATL-LGW to LHR and dropping an existing LHR route to accomodate the increase to Atlanta.

[crewmeal]

Security

Looks like Fireman Sam has caused a few problems at LGW.

Fireman Sam creator Dave Jones detained and branded racist for burqa joke at airport security | Mail Online]

[canberra97]

Caribbean Airlines

Another new long haul airline to start flights from Gatwick.

Caribbean Airlines will commence a Gatwick to Port of Spain route from the 15th June 2012 with two Boeing 767-300 aircraft that have been purchased from LanChile.

Schedules to be revealed shortly.

A Gatwick to Kingston route is planned for 2013, both 767s have winglets.

It is anticipated that BW will operate from the North Terminal.

[jabird]

Department for Transport rules do not prevent people covering their faces at airports for religious reasons, although all passengers must show their faces to UK Border officials at passport control.

Sounds like an ill-judged remark whipped out of proportion by the usual rigid jobsworth brigade! But I think we do need some clarity. Security is there to check luggage and that the passengers have nothing dangerous on them, so I don't see what difference a head scarf would make to this. Border checks are a completely different issue, only relevant on the inbound journey.

The real issue is why there aren't any checks on the nationality of anyone leaving the country, so we just don't know who is going and who is staying.

[jabird]

Caribbean Airlines has started the planning process to serve London, Gatwick with non-stop flights from Trinidad, Piarco International Airport, along with one-stop services via other Caribbean islands.

Article

C97,

Do you think this will just be revival of the previous routes, which iirc were LHR-ANU-POS & LHR-BGI-POS.

Would there be any continuation from KIN?

Competition always good on these routes as the only 'home grown' UK Caribbean route for now is CU's LGW-HAV.

[canberra97]

Caribbean Airlines

The new BW flights are to start on June 15th with a POS-LGW route followed later in July by a POS-BGI-LGW route.

It is anticipated that connections from POS will be available to GEO,KIN, amongst others.

[Skipness One Echo]

Competition always good on these routes as the only 'home grown' UK Caribbean route for now is CU's LGW-HAV

Virgin are on LGW-HAV? BA are dropping LGW-MBJ and VS dropping LGW-KIN at the end of March so there's some Carribbean draw down.

[compton3bravo]

SATURDAY MORNING WOES AT GATWICK

Problems at Gatwick North Terminal regarding baggage due to electricity failure. Some flights left without baggage. More details on BCC News website.