Norwegian have an (albeit limited) long haul network from BCN and CDG, so I imagine easyJet will partner with them like they are doing from LGW. LEVEL could be another partner from BCN, though given their links with Vueling I doubt it.

AMS, MXP and GVA will almost certainly just become easyJet euro-hubs given the lack of long haul low-cost operations from these airports.

Air Canada rouge in summer 2018 season is cancelling seasonal Vancouver – London Gatwick route, previously scheduled as 3 weekly flight.

Just been through the North Terminal with the new duty free maze. Truely horrible.

In total agreement willy wombat. Didn't think that Gatwick would fall into the same hellhole as Stansted and Manchester. Got ripped off too ... bought two bars of Cadbury's at World Duty Free for £5 each ... and then found a 3 for 2 at WHSmith in the depths of the terminal for £10. No proper 'restaurants' just fast food under many flags of convenience. Filthy jetway/airbridge. On arrival, did not appreciate the long walk to Border control particularly over the Skybridge with its unavoidable 'rainforest' sound bites. Comforting to see from the information boards that there are toilets en route to border control after that cacophony. HSBC should be ashamed of themselves for inflicting this on us!

Do you know if Toronto will be increased to daily again now that Vancouver is cancelled?

Hi all, I have been enjoying this forum for a while now so it's first post time...

I've heard that partly due to the reduced winter schedule by Thomas Cook and the loss of the LGW-BFS FR route, their ground handler Menzies Aviation is asking for volunteers to take unpaid leave of between 2 - 6 weeks.

Could they be going the same way as Aviator?

Aren't the 3 x daily LGWBFS slots the ones that FR gained as remedy slots following the IAG/EI merger? My understanding was that they had to be operated for 3 (or 5, can't remember which) years. Does this mean the slots go back to BA or do they have to offered out again?

Menzies have also lost the EZY contract so will be many many people moving/sitting around doing not much after the handover.

The same people will just do the same work for a different company?

Typical tupe situation...

Don't remember seeing this announced, but Thomson (or TUI, whatever they are this week) are launching Krabi flights.

Every 2 weeks this winter on Mondays and some Wednesday's:

TOM008 LGW 2130 KBV 1600+1
TOM009 KBV 1800 LGW 0005+1

Nice new route to have!

From what I remember they got 5 slot pairs, 2 of which had to be operated to Dublin, 1 to Belfast, and the other 2 to either Dublin or Belfast.

It will be interesting to see what happens (if anything) with regards to the remedy slots.

Menzies South / North terminal op has been split for months now. Will hardly affect them.

FR will be back in summer 18 on the LGW BFS route, four daily flights. Flights are available to book now.
Winter cancellation must likely due to DUB being one of the airport having a real shortage of pilots, so pull BFS LGW and move crews to DUB for the winter

Arrived into Gatwick yesterday afternoon from Istanbul. It was very sad to see I think 9 Monarchs lined up, idle. Sad for all the staff involved and the history that brought Monarch to where it was before it all went wrong.

When I arrived at Border Control, not one passenger in front of me. Through via one of the machine readers in seconds. Back up to security for my domestic flight, again through in 2/3 minutes. A great experience, maybe I was lucky with the time of day. The No 1 lounge was great on the way out.

The scanner did bleep yesterday as I went through, I suspect a random check as I had no metal on me. So I had to have a full scan. It picked up a mass in my pocket that had to be investigated, my folded Ryanair boarding pass! That I found pathetic, although that is not the fault of Lgw, that I lay at the feet of Transport Dept and machine manufacturer. Is there a need to be that particular?

Is there any logical reason why MON flights are still displayed on departure boards coming into the fourth day of no flights.

I'm guessing they'll stay on there until the CAA stops flights for them.

IAG poised to take Monarch slots at LGW for LEVEL long haul low cost and go head to head with Norwegian

So what are BA going to do with their densified 777s? Thought they were going to combat Norwegian using them?

It seems the most likely option on either slot scenario

If slots can be sold - BA outbids EZY and uses them as previously suggested
If slots revert to pool - new entrants get first dibs, LEVEL is technically a newcomer so would be best placed to take them

Should be interesting whatever the outcome

Yep any of the IAG airlines that don’t already serve gatters would get first dibs as new entrants.

So level, Iberia, and Iberia regional. Also not sure how aer lingus regional would be viewed and potentially cityflyer with the scope clause.

If sold off I expect IAG to go to bat big time to get the slots for BA over U2 and Norwegian.