Gatwick-2
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IAG isn't all about London. They may be happy to see BA doing what it does best at LHR, bring Vueling in to some of the LGW slots and offload a bunch more. I think in a new world, IAG may focus more on EI and Vueling expansion where there is actually scope to expand.
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Join Date: Oct 2005
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I doubt IAG will be too keen to let Wizz get a foot in the door at LGW, I would have thought they learned their lesson from easyJet in 2001.
Join Date: Jul 2006
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Why would any airline or business want to put themselves in a position of being permanently smaller in the future and have very limited options for growth? To do so to me seems like madness.
BA senior management have to ask themselves - how long will Covid last, and how much will they lose by flying aircraft that are partly empty. Then ask how much profit BA would make over 10 normal years by flying the same number of aircraft at Gatwick
Join Date: May 2011
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1) Keep holding on until the EU comes back on the 80/20 and then we will have to ramp schedules back up at the risk of huge losses?
2) Do we offload/lease out some of the slot portfolio at Gatwick to another airline, admitting they may be coming in our previous territory but that is just how our 'new BA' will look?
3) Do we refocus how Gatwick works on P2P leisure only, trim away the business-commanding routes back to Heathrow. Increase our long haul and short/med-haul leisure, sacrificing some slots at the same time as a means of raising cash?
This is not as simple and clean cut as many seem to think. If BA/IAG see an opportunity to consolidate Gatwick and raise capital by means of sale or leasing of slots, then I believe they will do that.
I think we are losing sight of what slots were originally for - if the airport is running at less than capacity and there is another customer who can't access the airport because of slot blocking, I think it will be a case of use it or lose it rather then do we hold or do we sell.
Join Date: Sep 2012
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There's so many possible outcomes it's near impossible to predict how things will pan out. I don't beleive it's a case of IAG having to sell slots to another carrier. There will come a point they'll have to release them if they don't use them. Holding on to them while they can makes perfect sense for now, but when crunch time comes they're not likely to operate them for the sake of keeping a foothold in LGW. Not wanting to pre-empt bad news by any means, but if Virgin for example were to fail, BA will do surely what ever it takes to get hold of their LHR slots, which would completely alter their position where LGW is concerned.
Wizz are hell bent on gameplay at the moment. I can honestly say that nobody has ever been as vocal about such a large scale expansion, where normally such extensive commercial terms on volumes amongst all else under strict confidentiality would exist. Their single aircraft base is probably little more than a sign of intent on what they want to acheive at LGW. I'd be surprised if RYR were not watching with the same level of intent, especially as a reaction to Wizz if for nothing else, about growth prospects at LGW while being maybe a little less outspoken about it.
You also have to consider from LGW's perspective, will they really want Wizz as a long-term strategic player? On the whole I'd think so with the likes of Norwegian on very thin ice, the prospect of a BA withdrawal and the loss already of Thomas Cook and Virgin, LGW are not in a position to be fussy, and I don't think low-cost long-haul would be off the table for Wizz eventually. That said, Wizz will no doubt demand a pittance in costs and commercial terms with what the aforementioned operators are, or were previously, willing to pay. Yet again LGW would be well aware of the prospect in possibly losing their business to LTN/STN/SEN at the best, nevermind the worst of times.
Wizz are hell bent on gameplay at the moment. I can honestly say that nobody has ever been as vocal about such a large scale expansion, where normally such extensive commercial terms on volumes amongst all else under strict confidentiality would exist. Their single aircraft base is probably little more than a sign of intent on what they want to acheive at LGW. I'd be surprised if RYR were not watching with the same level of intent, especially as a reaction to Wizz if for nothing else, about growth prospects at LGW while being maybe a little less outspoken about it.
You also have to consider from LGW's perspective, will they really want Wizz as a long-term strategic player? On the whole I'd think so with the likes of Norwegian on very thin ice, the prospect of a BA withdrawal and the loss already of Thomas Cook and Virgin, LGW are not in a position to be fussy, and I don't think low-cost long-haul would be off the table for Wizz eventually. That said, Wizz will no doubt demand a pittance in costs and commercial terms with what the aforementioned operators are, or were previously, willing to pay. Yet again LGW would be well aware of the prospect in possibly losing their business to LTN/STN/SEN at the best, nevermind the worst of times.
Join Date: Nov 2006
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Wizz @ Gatwick
Selecting Athens as a new route from Gatwick is a clear statement of intent against the easyJet. The other routes though easyJet markets/routes are not as notable as one of the airline's longest standing destinations ...
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https://www.euroweeklynews.com/2020/...ovid-measures/
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Exactly what they did in Luton, the first flights back after the COVID hibernation were all in direct competition with Wizzair, including that all important TLV route (with Israel’s borders essentially closed at the time, and Israel on the UK’s quarantine list).
I think easy need to learn pretty sharpish that Wizz aren’t just going to go away, before they fritter away even more money.
As for the Wizz vs BA debate. Both offer pretty much the same service on the same aircraft (I believe some of BA’s Gatwick fleet are actually ex-Wizz), Wizz just do it at half the price. The airport would far rather an airline that’s going to use the slots than one that’ll hold on for as long as possible, doing as little as possible.
600 jobs going at Gatwick. A big Wizz expansion would be welcome by all.
I think easy need to learn pretty sharpish that Wizz aren’t just going to go away, before they fritter away even more money.
As for the Wizz vs BA debate. Both offer pretty much the same service on the same aircraft (I believe some of BA’s Gatwick fleet are actually ex-Wizz), Wizz just do it at half the price. The airport would far rather an airline that’s going to use the slots than one that’ll hold on for as long as possible, doing as little as possible.
600 jobs going at Gatwick. A big Wizz expansion would be welcome by all.
Wizz aren’t THAT cheap, BA prices are often cheaper than easyJet at LGW.
Beggars can’t be choosers, with Norwegian likely gone or greatly diminished LGW needs the next big thing.
Beggars can’t be choosers, with Norwegian likely gone or greatly diminished LGW needs the next big thing.
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: Italy
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BA
I echo the comments others have made- it is desperately sad seeing how hard LGW has been hit by this crisis, I really feel for all the airport teams, ground staff and crew here that like many of us, are now facing uncertain futures. I hope that LGW will be able to recover quickly once the worst of this pandemic has passed- Gatwick had been doing very well prior to COVID, and I just hope that it will be able to attract it's airlines back and diversify beyond LCCs, particularly full service and long haul. On BA- the latest update from Airline Route and the BA booking engine stipulates short haul is scheduled to resume from the 9th November onwards. My guess is that it is only a matter of time before BA issue a definitive decision as to whether or not short haul will be resuming this year, or indeed, at all.
Yes,BA and their indecision about their short haul here has sadly not helped matters at all,nor VS pulling out from here and Norwegian with all their troubles ...I personally think this flip flopping around over who is in or who is out ,on the Air Corridors list, has caused even more damage and was the final nail in the coffin before announcement was made yesterday.
Really hope LGW can bounce back quickly and no more jobs are lost
Has been a joy to watch the QR cargo flights over the last 10 days ,does everything have to centre around LHR ?
Thinking of those that have lost their jobs ..it is really sad when this happens 😥
Really hope LGW can bounce back quickly and no more jobs are lost
Has been a joy to watch the QR cargo flights over the last 10 days ,does everything have to centre around LHR ?
Thinking of those that have lost their jobs ..it is really sad when this happens 😥
Join Date: Sep 2019
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Yes,BA and their indecision about their short haul here has sadly not helped matters at all,nor VS pulling out from here and Norwegian with all their troubles ...I personally think this flip flopping around over who is in or who is out ,on the Air Corridors list, has caused even more damage and was the final nail in the coffin before announcement was made yesterday.
Really hope LGW can bounce back quickly and no more jobs are lost
Has been a joy to watch the QR cargo flights over the last 10 days ,does everything have to centre around LHR ?
Thinking of those that have lost their jobs ..it is really sad when this happens 😥
Really hope LGW can bounce back quickly and no more jobs are lost
Has been a joy to watch the QR cargo flights over the last 10 days ,does everything have to centre around LHR ?
Thinking of those that have lost their jobs ..it is really sad when this happens 😥
Fab post JW 95 ....yes..sad times..two of my friends, one is a neighbour have lost their jobs with BA ...and my friend at LHR has been with them as cabin crew 33 years,she started at LGW on the DC10 ...
QR has canx a couple of the pax flights since restarting on the 20th ,todays is due to arrive thankfully
Can’t wait for EK to restart ..this should help with the jobs situation too.
When only FR and the Belarus’flight from Minsk were going down the approach during lockdown each day for a long while ,it was obvious this would have a big impact..the RAF Ascot training flights were a joy to see though ,wish they would reappear x
QR has canx a couple of the pax flights since restarting on the 20th ,todays is due to arrive thankfully
Can’t wait for EK to restart ..this should help with the jobs situation too.
When only FR and the Belarus’flight from Minsk were going down the approach during lockdown each day for a long while ,it was obvious this would have a big impact..the RAF Ascot training flights were a joy to see though ,wish they would reappear x
Join Date: Aug 2016
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Surely the indecision is down to the public - the airlines are listing flights but pulling them when it becomes apparent that loads will be uneconomic. Nobody knows when demand will recover, the experts are guessing.
Join Date: Jul 2006
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Lgw is suffering from the herd mentality amongst airlines. One moves to Lhr for a few flights, they all have to move. If the slot rules are not relaxed by the winter season, many if not all of them will have to return to Lgw. So what was the point for a few flights? Lgw is also suffering from a cautious approach from Ezy to restarting flights. They may need to show a bit more commitment.
And remember, these higher yields from Lhr = higher fares for the paying pax. As long as Lhr and the airlines can keep Lgw from any success in long-haul routes, they can all benefit from higher fares and changes.
And remember, these higher yields from Lhr = higher fares for the paying pax. As long as Lhr and the airlines can keep Lgw from any success in long-haul routes, they can all benefit from higher fares and changes.