Several reasons I think it is unlikely WestJet will move from LGW to LHR:
- Even if WestJet could get slots at Heathrow, the going rate for a slot-pair is about CAD$50m going by the selling price over the past 10 years, so CAD$200m for the current slot needs, this would increase ticket prices by about $80 just to amortise this cost over 10 years based on annual volume of 250,000 passengers each way.
- If LHR slots are not used continually (typically 80% over 6 months), they can be lost, this greatly complicates trying to have only seasonal service.
- They have no alliance hubs at LHR at the moment, so feed is not the greatest.
- For those whose destination is London, the rail and tube ride to the City (Canary Wharf area) is actually about 5 mins faster from LGW than LHR.
- They don't have to exactly follow the business model of other airlines and only have half the business class seat capacity in the 787s as other airlines anyway.
- Other than business travellers, more people seem to dislike LHR more than LGW.