I hear the biometrics for domestic flights are off due to COVID as BA are asking for ID checks at the gate, like easyJet. Hence given they both accept driving licences, are we now allowing free access to domestic flights to entrants with zero passport checks? Cos Flight Connections doesn't take you via the UK BORDER check? Am I missing something here?

I have traveled on 4 domestic sectors in the last three months and haven’t been asked for any form of ID at the gate on any sector.

Did you have your face scanned at the entrance to security and at the gate though?

Gatwick doesn't have scanning in place at present as there are no international transit passengers through North Terminal - that's the trigger why you have to have this for UK domestics.

Skipness One Foxtrot

not that I am aware of which of course does not mean it didn’t happen

I suspect that scanning your face without your active participation would be (a) technically difficult and (b) of dubious legality.

Scoot seem to be planning to fly between Gatwick and Bangkok...briefly in late Dec 2021, and then properly 3x weekly from late March 2022

It is a Sin/Bkk routing and is on sale via their website.

Lets see if Scoot can do what Norwegian couldn't esp adding a notoriously low rent route (BKK).
Will need heavy promotion at UK end I would imagine for outbound ‘I thought Scoot was for washing dishes’
Singapore fares will need to be price conscious (which you’d expect Scoot will be) for a double drop when direct is available.
Major review sites don’t give this carrier great scores…
One to watch with interest.

Scoot seem to take a fairly cautious approach and have operated Berlin-Athens-Singapore for a while so I imagine they must know how double drops affect yields.

I flew them years ago from Sydney to Singapore and they were fine.

The prices look good. £600 premium economy seat return to Bangkok will do alright and the back end will be busy with families, Backpackers and students.

There is less competition now too. BA has gone seasonal to BKK and rumours it will drop it altogether.

davidjohnson6

This is very welcome news for LGW, especially given the recent spew of airline suspensions and downsizing of flights to the Far East. This will be the second recent attempt at LGW-SIN (albeit with the BKK stop), hopefully they will be able to succeed where Norwegian failed. I'm also wondering if BA will be watching this- the transfer of their BKK route from LHR to LGW has been flagged up several times, so it'll be interesting to see how/if they respond directly to Scoot at LGW, now that BA have signalled their intention that they remain committed to LGW. I'm also wondering (hopeful) that Scoot's entry to LGW might mark the beginning for other Asian carriers to take a look at LGW, now that travel is beginning to get back on its feet :) Certainly interesting times ahead for the airport!

I'm sure they'll get the bums on seats, but London to Bangkok is (pre-covid) one of the most competitive routes in the world with trashed yields to match. Not sure I'd be in a hurry to fly on a 329 seat 788 either. For comparison, Norwegian had 291 seats on their 788s, and TUI had 325 seats in an all economy short haul configuration for Summer pre-Covid.

A good addition for Gatwick though, I hope it works for them.

A few other dates for long haul restarts in the coming month or so:

13NOV: Punta Cana (TUI)
15NOV: Tampa (BA)
19NOV: Orlando (BA)
24NOV: Liberia (TUI)
25NOV: Puerto Vallarta (TUI)
09DEC: Doha, San Jose, Punta Cana (BA)
10DEC: Dubai (EK)
17DEC: Phuket (TUI)
18DEC: Goa (TUI)

Time to get South Terminal ready?

indeed, and they are

Good news! Very much looking forward to using the South Terminal again soon, and I’m sure that BA are looking forward to reinstating their operations there along with the airlines usually based here. Any indication as to when the terminal is (tentatively) planned to be reopened?

Why would you say that BA NEVER wanted to go back in to South in the first place

Scoot
 

A very positive announcement for Gatwick. With demand for holiday destinations recovering more quickly, hopefully Scoot can make a success of these routes from Gatwick.

When is the South Terminal likely to re-open, in time for the start of the summer schedules in March?

BA have their own check-in areas and Club / First lounges in the South Terminal - I presume they'd want these back open?

BA and South Terminal
 

Rutan16

If you're referring to the time pre 2017 airline move, then your point is understandable, as I remember from an LGW documentary showing BA's big investment into their North Terminal check in and bag drop zone. However, things have moved on quite a bit since then, and BA now have a very nice check in zone in the South Terminal that strikes me as being larger than their previous home in the North Terminal, along with their lounges which have been generally well received by passengers. Plus, their branding presence (at least pre-Covid) in the South Terminal made the terminal feel more "home" to them in a way that North never was, given the rise of EZY operations there. So I'm sure that BA (as well as passengers alike) are eagerly looking forward to the South reopening, and hopefully soon :)