GATWICK
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Hemel Hempstead
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With LAS, I think it was a case that they were getting a good feed out of LHR, and with the LGW it was just too much capacity - so LHR stayed.
You're quite right in saying there are still options out of LGW for BA if they want to explore them. Unlinking AUH & MCT, and moving MCT to LGW could be an interesting option, along with a much talked about SEZ (definitely 2x week would work on that).
Along with Norwegian, you also have Thomson - they are now flying to Phuket, Colombo, Mauritius - along with current BA routes like Orlando, Cancun & Punta Cana. With once a week rotations it would be easier for them to fill the aircraft though.
You're quite right in saying there are still options out of LGW for BA if they want to explore them. Unlinking AUH & MCT, and moving MCT to LGW could be an interesting option, along with a much talked about SEZ (definitely 2x week would work on that).
Along with Norwegian, you also have Thomson - they are now flying to Phuket, Colombo, Mauritius - along with current BA routes like Orlando, Cancun & Punta Cana. With once a week rotations it would be easier for them to fill the aircraft though.
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: United Kingdom
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I definitely think that there is more growth for BA at Gatwick, both in short-haul and long-haul. I think that for the long-haul, BA could add routes like Miami & Bangkok to serve the O&D market, but also to add extra capacity on these routes, with LHR not allowing this. For the short-haul side, I think there short-haul operation is very good now at LGW and they could be offering routes like Berlin (Tegel), Gran Canaria, Palma de Mallorca, Copenhagen, Paris and many others in the future. Any other suggestions?
Join Date: Aug 2004
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The mantra clearly is 'Premium Leisure', although LHR has taken a few potential routes away (Palermo, Chania, Menorca & Gran Canaria). Maybe a return to Varna or Pula might be an interesting addition (or Tivat which EZY is starting this year). Given that Spain features highly on the agenda maybe even Almeria or Jerez.
Join Date: Dec 2015
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I was slightly confused as to why BA decided to launch all of those routes from LHR, as I find it is a waste of slots and all of these routes can operate successfully out of Gatwick, along with their array of leisure routes.
A certain trend of BA lately is to launch currently served routes from LHR at Gatwick, like Vienna and New York for example. This is why I was thinking routes like Paris, Berlin & Miami could be great for Gatwick. I was also thinking that BA could change their Milan operation so that flights to Milan Linate (for business & transfers) operate from LHR and flights to Milan Malpensa operate from LGW (for O&D traffic).
Other routes from BA that they could potentially operate in the future:
Montego Bay?
Phuket?
Dubai? (replace one of the LHR rotations with an LGW)
Havana?
San Francisco?
A certain trend of BA lately is to launch currently served routes from LHR at Gatwick, like Vienna and New York for example. This is why I was thinking routes like Paris, Berlin & Miami could be great for Gatwick. I was also thinking that BA could change their Milan operation so that flights to Milan Linate (for business & transfers) operate from LHR and flights to Milan Malpensa operate from LGW (for O&D traffic).
Other routes from BA that they could potentially operate in the future:
Montego Bay?
Phuket?
Dubai? (replace one of the LHR rotations with an LGW)
Havana?
San Francisco?
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: London
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I was slightly confused as to why BA decided to launch all of those routes from LHR, as I find it is a waste of slots and all of these routes can operate successfully out of Gatwick, along with their array of leisure routes.
Also, one benefit of leisure routes over business routes is they book out much further in advance and there's much clearer visibility as to their performance.
It's not a waste of slots if you were previously forced to fly half empty at weekends just to hang onto slots.
Avgeek1 it's worth googling the previous BA hub at LGW and why it was closed. MBJ has been operated twice in recent years and keeps getting dropped, KIN remains the port of choice.
Why *would* you replace LHR-DXB with a LGW operation, what would be the business case? BA are struggling on LHR-BKK, Phuket is very price sensitive with almost no business traffic. The LIN/MXP split isn't as clear cut as you make out, they're both LHR routes in the same way JFK/EWR are both served. That's not to say BA couldn't go back to Milan yet again from Gatters
Avgeek1 it's worth googling the previous BA hub at LGW and why it was closed. MBJ has been operated twice in recent years and keeps getting dropped, KIN remains the port of choice.
Why *would* you replace LHR-DXB with a LGW operation, what would be the business case? BA are struggling on LHR-BKK, Phuket is very price sensitive with almost no business traffic. The LIN/MXP split isn't as clear cut as you make out, they're both LHR routes in the same way JFK/EWR are both served. That's not to say BA couldn't go back to Milan yet again from Gatters
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: STANSTED & MANCHESTER
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Westjet
Just a quick Question, what terminal will Westjet be using at Gatwick ?
I have checked the Gatwick website but no mention of Westjet in the drop down section for Airlines, destinations and terminals.
I have checked the Gatwick website but no mention of Westjet in the drop down section for Airlines, destinations and terminals.
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Southampton
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Daz
You could have checked the LGW Wiki page as well, it's been noted that Westjet will be using the North Terminal for several months now, I always find it easier to search these type of things myself rather than rely on others for a delayed answer.
You could have checked the LGW Wiki page as well, it's been noted that Westjet will be using the North Terminal for several months now, I always find it easier to search these type of things myself rather than rely on others for a delayed answer.
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Liverpool
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Three EZY Flights diverted from Gatwick to Liverpool in the early hours,(2 A320s, from Dalaman and Larnaca, and an A319 from Malaga.
Some BA Flights diverted to Birmingham and Manchester and Norwegian diverted to East Midlands.
Some BA Flights diverted to Birmingham and Manchester and Norwegian diverted to East Midlands.
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Regrettably far from 50°N
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Noting from the ACL report that having applied for 2x daily they have been given 3x weekly, and that a high proportion of the allocation is more than an hour from their requested slot times, the question is probably of whether or not they even have an aircraft spare. We will see.