There is already competition from LGW to Larnaca and I would have thought that Budapest was a very marginal route so I am not totally surprised with Norwegian cancelling these two destinations so the slots can be used for their long haul operations.

Norwegian starting Lgw - Buenos Aries from Feb 2018, 4 weekly.

With headline fare of £299 one way.

According to a West African news agency 'there is a link online but in French only but I can't upload as I'm using my phone' ASKY Airlines intend on operating Lome to LGW in late 2017 using Boeing 737-800, the topic has been discussed on airliners.net.

nothing on their website but they are starting flight to jo'burg

It says nothing about London on their website I am aware of that but the airline has already announced Johannesburg and plan to serve Paris towards the end of the year with a further route to London in the future.

Not all airlines websites state information like that as many are not updated or don't have a very good PR page but I can assure you I have read it in French online via a link in the African Aviation forum on airliners.net.

China Airlines starting Taipei from 1st December 4 weekly.

Another one in the LHR waiting room....a bit like GA not so long ago?

"Another one in the LHR waiting room....a bit like GA not so long ago"

Is this the best first comment that you could make? Sure Lhr is full, is it not? Has been for many years, has it not? At some point airlines will not be able to switch across because maybe it will actually be full.

LHR is not 'full'. Expensive slots- yes, inconvenient timed slots- yes, full- no.
Agree though this is a waiting game for LHR, it usually is.

Yes and no. There's physical capacity, but not much headroom under the 480K pa ATM limit

They did have LHR slots in recent years, albeit leased. They're not at Gatwick by choice. It seem having struggled at LHR with the economics of the A340, LGW with the A359 won't be much of an improvement, especially given EVA's one stop option will still be at LHR.
Good to see them back in the UK though.

It seems others agree, so it can't have been that bad ;-) I was also in a hurry.

Although much publicity/media talk does indeed frequently comment that LHR is "full" (or 98/99% so), there still seems to be a fair degree of churn/slot trading on an ongoing basis, as carriers change their schedules/frequencies etc. Not impossible to think that something else will give and this find it's way in, in time.

This is old news as it was announced on 16 September 2016 that China Airlines would be returning to London with direct flights from TPE to London Gatwick starting on 01 December 2017 flying four times a week with Airbus A350.

To other posters

The Heathrow waiting room comments do get tedious after a while!

True; they are tedious - but they are true, nevertheless.

Norwegian to Chicago and Austin from Lgw on sale now, 4and 3 weekly respectively.

This is all going to end in tears me thinks. Memories of peoplexpress, Laker etc.

Starting to think the same

BA W17/18 Changes
 

BA have made some changes to there W17/18 shorthaul schedule:

Geneva - Will increase from 20 to 21 x weekly from 24DEC17-18MAR18 with a additional service added on a Sunday. Flights will op 2 x daily Mon-Fri, 5 flight will op Sat and 6 will op on a Sun.
Marrakech - Will increase to 8 x weekly from 04NOV. 2 flights will operate on a Saturday.
Nuremberg - NEW 4 x weekly Christmas seasonal service will operate 30NOV17-07JAN18.
Paphos - Will go from a summer season route, to operating year round with flights operating up to 3 x weekly for W17
Tirana - Will operate Daily 08DEC17-23MAR18. Flights operated up to 6 x weekly W16
Turin - Additional Saturday flight added 23DEC17-30DEC17 and 10FEB18-24MAR18. Increasing frequency to 14 x weekly. Flights will op 2 daily Mon-Wed, daily Thu/Fri and 3 flights will op on Sat/Sun
Vienna - Resumes 01NOV17 flights will increase from the 4 x weekly frequency operated W16 to 5 x weekly.