If you think LGW is bad in that regard take a long hard look at STN where MAG will often claim to have the same aspirations.

It was the same as LHR pre COVID with a photo taken of domestic passengers and no access to domestic flying without a match. I don't believe it was ever re-activated after COVID though.

The Emirates Lounge at LGW is very nice but I agree that the “pay to enter” lounges are a bit naff.

Sod the lounges, basic services need upgrading badly! I've been working at LGW for nearly 10 years but its things like the public toilets in the south terminal are horrible! My local cinema as much nicer modern toilets.

and what did they say when you made formal constructive complaint on said-latrines?

Atlantic Airways have (finally) put their route to Vagar in the Faroe Islands on sale, starting 1 June 2024
https://italiavola.com/2024/01/08/at...e-faroe-vagar/

Re 3 EZY aircraft at BHX making a greater contribution than LGW long-haul additions
 

New long-haul routes coming to LGW do not only deliver more passengers but also more freight (when operated by widebodies). This isn't the case with short-haul LCC services as the narrowbodies used to operate them not only have negligible cargo space but short-haul LCCs usually don't bother about cargo at all as it complicates their business model, i.e., the costs far outweigh the benefits, not only in terms of additional costs incurred for providing / paying for a freight handling service but also in terms of extending tight turns to load / unload freight and thereby negatively affecting aircraft utilisation.

A few highlights from ACL's LGW preliminary slot allocations for summer 2024:

ITA Airways FCO double daily (NEW)

Play KEF daily (NEW)

Qatar Airways DOH two additional daily frequencies (rebuilding frequencies to pre-Covid level: three daily)

Spicejet DEL daily (potentially NEW as the airline doesn't have any suitable long-haul aircraft, such as the A330 / 340 or 787 nor any pilots qualified to fly them, so would have to rely on another ACMI operator like Air Belgium, Highfly, Titan or Wamos if it really wants to launch this route (I recall from memory that this is what they did to operate a limited no. of flights between DEL and LHR under the so-called bubble flight arrangements between the UK and India during the pandemic.)

Sri Lankan CMB approx 2×weekly (1st return to LGW in over 30 yrs)

Additional frequencies also for Air India to add another 6 weekly flights from / to AMD, ATQ, COK and GOX

B6 BOS 1 daily (additional to the already existing daily service, effectively doubling the existing frequency from 1 to 2 daily)

BA ACC 1 weekly (expanding total weekly frequencies from 3 to 4)

TK IST 3 weekly (expanding existing weekly frequencies from 21 to 24, with 3 daily on Mon & Thu, 2 daily on Tue and 4 daily on Wed, Fri, Sat & Sun)

Also additional frequencies for big 3 Chinese state-owned airlines (CA / CZ / MU) from / to various points in China

Which of the potential new Gatwick airlines that have been successful in being awarded slots at the airport for summer 2024, are we likely to see making their Gatwick debut?

In my opinion, I wouldn't be surprised if those listed below actually using their newly awarded slots:

ATI Airways

Play

Sri Lankan Airlines

Spicejet (more likely now than I initially thought as the airline seems to have arrested its downward spiral, as a result of a recent, major capital infusion by one of the original co- founders of Spicejet rival Indigo, who has recently acquired a stake in the airline with a firm view of turning around its flagging financial performance of recent years to enable it to look to the future with confidence again and to firm up new, major expansion plans)

It'd be nice to see as many of these tails at LGW as possible.

I have been reading the TAAG Angola Airlines may be going through some changes. Might those changes mean that the Lgw service never starts or is seriously delayed?

Some strange goings on with TAAG Angola Airlines recently.

A couple of weeks ago, the airline announced that Madrid would cease being a destination on the airline's network. Only last week, the airline announced that Madrid would resume again four months after it was stopped.

Several months ago, TAAG Angola Airlines announced LGW with a December 2023 launch, but it never materialised.

I'm also very curious if TAAG Angola Airlines' planned service to LGW will be seriously delayed or, at the worst, will it ever start.

Just returned to London with CX via HKG. An excellent set of flights overall, notwithstanding a series of delays when I flew LHR-HKG a few weeks ago. Definitely preferred the A351 on CX238 versus the 77W (CX251)- as others have experienced and commented previously, the A350 feels much more spacious and certainly quieter over the 77W, so I'm glad I got the chance to fly on it before LHR flights are fully reverted to the 777 come March.

I am very interested to see what CX plan (if anything) RE. capacity in London now that this route is becoming busier and in higher demand. While in transit in HKG yesterday, both my flight (CX251) and CX255 were completely full and the ground staff mentioned that this is common now, with overbooking also occurring on the two overnight flights to London. Luggage space on board during boarding was also limited, with cabin crew having to check many bags into the hold. I'm wondering wether CX will try and add further capacity to LHR (unlikely due to slot availability) or reopen LGW this year, as it seems like more capacity is needed?

Sri Lankan to Gatwick would be interesting- essentially the same thing as what Air Mauritius did when they left LHR. Unsure what their existing frequency at Heathrow is, but I'm thinking a move to LGW would only happen on the basis that they could increase frequency over what is currently offered at LHR.

RE. Play- I wonder if this would be in addition to, or a replacement of their STN service?

I see Ethiopian is going up to 4 per week from June.

Also, EI is pulling out from end of March. Who will pick up those slots, I think 4 daily?

Think FR might increase services on the news EI is leaving

Aer Lingus leaving AGAIN? How many times is that now? Was pleased they came back in 2008 with the A320 after leaving when the 146s were retired. I've never been on a quiet DUB-LGW, and unlike long haul passengers who will make the journey to LHR, this will surely cost traffic and market share on their core Dublin-London offering. Or has the move of NOC to LHR meant they no longer feel it necessary?

There must have been decent connectivity from EI to BA long haul at Gatwick.

Will BA step in, either with EuroFlyer or W patterns from LHR, or is this a lack of joined up thinking at IAG?

Reading elsewhere that it was the loss of VIR connections that has killed it for EIN.

Iraqi Airways
 

The London Gatwick Airport Wikipedia page is currently showing Iraqi Airways on it's airlines listing.

I've done a lengthy search online to and find any information regarding Iraqi Airways resuming London Gatwick but with no luck.

Iraqi Airways has recently announced a return to Europe with flights to several German airports along with Copenhagen, Denmark. Iraqi Airways are expected to operate these flights with their own aircraft.

With an ever increasing amount of modern aircraft joining the fleet I'm sure that Iraqi Airways would want to expand further into Europe with a resumption of service to London.

Does anyone have any further information regarding a possible resumption of service of Iraqi Airways to London Gatwick.

Iraqi Airways have been saying for ages that they expect to be approved to operate their own aircraft to Europe 'soon'. But as far as I'm aware, they are still included on both the EU and UK Safety List, so are in effect banned. Iraqi Airways flights to Germany and other States in the EU are currently operated by wet-leased aircraft (as they must be with the carrier itself on the Safety List).
Until this changes, there will be no Iraqi Airways operated aircraft allowed on commercial services to the EU (and the UK).