All these months later, handling agents are still having serious staffing issues, which at this point well past the summer peak is frankly diabolical. DHL are apparently very short staffed, and according to an anonymous staff member have altered/cut overtime rates from this month which has further worsened this. Lots of easyJet flights with very long waits for baggage yesterday night/this morning with people sat and laid all across the reclaim area. I waited 3 hours... Coupling that with the train strikes made for a very miserable travel experience at the end of a good trip away.

Airport mostly fine a week ago for our departure, but even then we were delayed for ~30 mins on the ground after boarding due to slow offloading and late delivery of bags...

Student workers now back to their studies as well.

Aurora Borealis
 

https://www.aerobility.com/aurora

Kudos to Easyjet, Gatwick and all involved

It appears that long term resident Handley Page Dart Herald G-CEXP is to be removed by the end of the month, probably for scrap.The airport is being very tight lipped about it and seem to be in a rush to get rid of it. Would any one have any news on when it is to be removed and where it is going?

New route with TUI to Ohrid for summer 2023
https://www.exyuaviation.com/2022/10...rvice.html?m=1

There was a long running Facebook campaign to save it but they lacked both credibility and funds, so I believe it's to be scrapped.

I would query the lack of credibility comment as the group did send a fully costed extraction plan to the airport. The airport never once offered any contribution to the removal cost and have hindered the project for many months.At one stage the airport were demanding the group also remove the MD-80 hulk as well and again for no cost to themselves.
The aircraft couldn’t be in a much worse spot near the westerly thresholds. The aircraft was also dropped when it was removed from the terminal roof damaging one of the main gear legs. It would have been easier and cheaper to remove it if it had been left up there. The airport could have made a donation(tax deductible) to the group and the aircraft could have been preserved. They have never made any such offer.

CI leaving LHR in favour of LGW?
 

Have just noticed that somebody has updated the LGW wiki page to show China Airlines resuming LGW-TPE from 27th March, and this is also reflected on the airline's website with fares loaded. Does anyone know if they're planning on leaving LHR, given that they were awarded slots there not that long ago?

Summer 22 was the same, seems to be a placeholder while they try and get enough permanent winter AND summer slots of their own. I'd be surprised if they have to leave LHR, a deal should be possible.

That’s true- partly the reason why I did a double take when I saw the fares from LGW live on their website. Although it is unlikely, it would be lovely seeing them and the A359 back at Gatwick, as we haven’t seen A350s scheduled at LGW since pre Covid when CI and CX were here :(

New route to Lyon with Wizz from 10-Jan-2023, 4x weekly. Apologies if I missed an earlier post mentioning this

Gatwick airport historical question, if I may, albeit recentish history concerning terminals.

Can anyone give a date that the shuttle link between South terminal and satelite ceased operation please ?

Every source, every discussion, every google response that does actually get to the satelite shuttle (as opposed to confusing it with the North terminal shuttle) seems to say when it opened, and that it was eventually replaced by a moving walkway link, but none seem to give a cessation date.

South satelite shuttle starts at 11 m 23 s here :

Anybody ? Thanks.

I've wondered this myself. Perhaps others on the thread can confirm this, but I think the South Terminal satellite transit closed in the early 2000s, possibly around 2002/3?

Jet2 have 2 737 aircraft operating from Gatwick today. One flight looks to be a Christmas Charter to Rovaniemi and the other to Tenerife. Looking at FR24 these aircraft have been operating at Gatwick throughout November. Does anyone know who for? I do know the flights are not for Jet2 holidays.

Tenerife is for P&O Cruises,

Many thanks.

With some research also discovered Jet2 are operating Lapland charters for various companies this winter 2022/2023 and next winter 2023/2024. They also have a contract with P&O for
some flights to and from Gatwick connecting with cruise ships particularly in the Canary Islands.

British Airways used to operate various Lapland charters and ski charters from Gatwick pre-covid. Not sure if BA Euroflyer will be picking any of these up. We shall see as December approaches.
Although BA Euroflyer has quite a large number of scheduled services due to start to winter ski destinations throughout December and January.

British Airways
 

The Telegraph is reporting that BA looks set to significantly increase its LGW operation. Any ideas of what routes could feature if they go ahead with an expansion?

Source: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business...twick-airport/ (available to subscribers only unfortunately).

Also, are there any other airlines in the pipeline to launch or reinstate services from LGW going forward?

Very interesting article and was able to read it too without having to subscribe 😉

I think the key words in that article are "in the coming years". There doesn't appear to be much by way of expansion in terms of routes for next year.

Given much of the article features IAG/BA criticisms of HAL, you can understand how it got there.

That said, experiences of flying BA from Gatwick have been good - no queue at check-in and the BA lounges are much more civilised than at Heathrow.