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Gatwick-3

Old 28th Sep 2021, 11:32
  #421 (permalink)  
 
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Great news 😀
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Old 28th Sep 2021, 21:59
  #422 (permalink)  
 
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Anyone know if Jet2 are basing aircraft at LGW for their winter charters, or if they’ll be served from other bases?
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Old 29th Sep 2021, 21:04
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Served from other bases? I presume you mean fly it in let's say night before they operate, do the series of charters, then fly it back out the day after back to base?

I think they'll fly one or two at the beginning of the charter's. If required elsewhere they could position it or swap it in the destination.
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Old 30th Sep 2021, 00:42
  #424 (permalink)  
 
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aircraft being based at LGW by the sounds of it. A few might fly in and out a few times a week but primarily based. Up to 4 aircraft apparently for their charter series.
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Old 30th Sep 2021, 06:10
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Seems a very good idea as not as many aircraft required at each base in winter.
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Old 30th Sep 2021, 07:15
  #426 (permalink)  
 
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vectisman

You’re right. I’m one of them. I live just a few miles from Gatwick and wouldn’t consider Heathrow unless for long haul.

I usually fly BA where I can, have a stupid amount of avios but still the convenience of flying from Gatwick outweighs ‘brand loyalty’. I would always pay that bit more to fly BA rather than a LOCO. Maybe silly, but not everyone wants bargain basement prices and the scrum that comes with it.

recently went away where I could have used avios from LHR but instead switched airlines to fly from LGW. That’s just me but how many others are there that are prepared to do the same? BA will obviously know more about this than me but for them to claim they were unprofitable is surely a bit disingenuous.
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Old 30th Sep 2021, 09:07
  #427 (permalink)  
 
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Interesting to look at the CAA passenger data as we reach the end of furlough. Relative to August 19, for the market as a whole, August 21 traffic was standing at 27.5% ( 8.54m versus 30.87m). In league table terms, Belfast (both airports) was at the top with 48% ; Luton with 41%, Liverpool at 38%, most of the rest including Heathrow spread out between 25 and 33% with Gatwick an outlier at 20%. Recovery under way but a long way to go.
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Old 3rd Oct 2021, 16:25
  #428 (permalink)  
 
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Jet 2

arfortune

Canterbury Travel are doing lapland flights late nov into dec using jet 2
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Old 3rd Oct 2021, 18:30
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Now being reported that BA and BALPA are in talks about Gatwick. More detail tomorrow apparently. Could be interesting. New ballot planned.
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Old 3rd Oct 2021, 22:07
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And Hotelplan (Inghams, Santa’s Lapland etc); we’re travelling with them on 19/12!
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Old 4th Oct 2021, 07:51
  #431 (permalink)  
 
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From the Telegraph:.....A spokesman for British Airways said: “Our short-haul operation at Gatwick was consistently unprofitable and we were clear that we could not re-start short-haul flights unless we were able to establish a competitive platform.

“While we have been actively pursuing alternative uses for our slots, last week Balpa asked us to resume discussions. These talks were constructive, addressed key concerns and have secured the efficiencies required. Balpa is now taking a new proposal to its members.”
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Old 12th Oct 2021, 16:14
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Sun Express now have Dalaman on sale as well as Ayt. Will we see more routes from them? Is this a sign that they are moving from Ltn?
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Old 12th Oct 2021, 18:17
  #433 (permalink)  
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Air Malta is also now planning to return to Gatwick in December with 3 flights weekly. Originally it was going to be Summer 2022.
Air Malta Gatwick flights in Summer 2022 will be daily.
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Old 12th Oct 2021, 18:35
  #434 (permalink)  
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Jet2 is also advertising for Passenger Services staff for its Gatwick Winter charter services. Period of employment is from November 1st 2021 to early April 2022. Be interesting to see if they plan anything for next Summer. Not saying its likely, but not impossible.

If British Airways goes ahead re-introducing short haul at Gatwick next Summer with the previously suggested 17 SH aircraft, they will still not require all the slots they were using in Summer 2019 (About 90 slot pairs) Both the long haul and short operation would require about 60 or more slot pairs (depending on the length of the planned short haul routes) so there would be some that could initially be leased out. The original plan was to increase the fleet by 3 or 4 SH units a year for several years, so longer term would need all of their slots.
Of course they may have plans for other IAG airlines to use some of them.

Again possible that Jet2 could be interested. However, they would surely want them long term and would be another competitor for the BA operation. Could be interesting.

At the moment looking like BA long haul at Gatwick will need about 8 777s from December rising to 11 777s next Summer. All this could change depending on demand. However at the moment bookings to places like Caribbean, Cancun and Mauritius are very strong. There may even be some Orlando services from Gatwick this winter owing to increased demand.

Obviously still a way to go when compared to Summer 2019 (15 777s and up to 32 SH aircraft). However, much better than 2020 and 2021! Hopefully BA short haul will return. Much more optimistic than I was 2 weeks ago!

Last edited by vectisman; 12th Oct 2021 at 19:35.
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Old 12th Oct 2021, 19:03
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Why has Wizzair not made more of an effort to get started again at Lgw? For an airline that has said so much about their intentions for Lgw, I find their current strategy odd? Travel is starting to re-cover, but they seem to be making little effort at Lgw. They were also successful in gaining a lot more slots, yet they are making little effort to use them. They do seem happy to get Ltn going again however.
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Old 12th Oct 2021, 19:11
  #436 (permalink)  
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bycrewlgw. The problem with profit for BA at Gatwick was the seasonality of the most of the short haul route network. I believe long haul from Gatwick has been profitable for a number of years. Some of the
long haul destinations served continue to be very lucrative. Short haul was profitable in the summer, but made losses in the winter owing to the seasonal nature of the operation. In recent years years they tried to overcome
this by increasing Winter Sports destinations, the Christmas markets and increased flying for ski operators and the Lapland charters. However these were not enough. You had enough staff for the summer but too many for the winter.

If BA Gatwick had been allowed to compete with the BA Heathrow operation in terms of routes, there may have been less of a seasonal issue.

If an European route became too successful it went back to Heathrow. Examples are Bologna in Italy, Luxembourg and Barcelona.(Barcelona was a split operation for a while then went back to being solely Heathrow). Some destinations could support duel operation such as Amsterdam and some domestics. Geneva could have worked all year round at Gatwick but was only allowed to operate there from December to April (Ski season) to prevent dilution of the Heathrow yields.

I believe the 'new' short haul operation allows for more seasonal contracts for crews and ground staff that should help reduce/avoid the winter losses. For example, full time employment in the Summer, maybe 50% in the winter, plus other combinations. We shall have to see how things develop.

Seasonal variation has been less of an issue for the long haul operation. Less Florida for example could be made up in Winter by more to the Caribbean and destinations like Mauritius and at one time Male.
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Old 12th Oct 2021, 19:14
  #437 (permalink)  
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True Blue. Which slots did Wizzair manage to acquire? I would imagine that Ryanair, EasyJet and Wizzair are a little disappointed that the BA slots at Gatwick may now not be available!
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Old 12th Oct 2021, 19:20
  #438 (permalink)  
 
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According to the last 2/3 slot reports, they have managed to acquire some additional slots, did they not? I can understand why they didn't operate them in 2020 and most of 2021. But should they not be trying a little bit harder at Lgw if they want a 20 aircraft base there?
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Old 12th Oct 2021, 19:31
  #439 (permalink)  
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True Blue. Many thanks for the information. If BA short haul returns and succeeds I cant see a 20 aircraft Wizzair base in the short term (or even longer). I can see both EasyJet and BA competing hard to
prevent one too! Such a large base would need 40 to 50 daily slot pairs. I am not sure that, even after the pandemic, in Summer 2022 there would be that many available. However I could be wrong!
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Old 13th Oct 2021, 14:40
  #440 (permalink)  
 
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British Airways and future long haul at LGW

News RE. BA short haul resumption at LGW is definitely positive and encouraging, and will prove to be a strategically valuable decision going forward, especially as aviation continues to bounce back and LHR fills back up. I'm also sure that BA management are very mindful about what happened last time when LGW was de-hubbed and the subsequent expansion of EZY/take over of GB Airways. Hopefully this will also mean that the South terminal is one step closer to reopening- have there been any indications of when the terminal might reopen?

Also, any updates on China Airlines possibly returning to LGW for the winter? The LGW airline and terminal page still lists CI, but wasn't sure if they're remaining at LHR? Hopefully LGW can begin to attract more long haul back that it had pre-Covid.
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