Are you using LGW less in 2011?
Sep 14, 2011, 1:45 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: UK, but sometimes wish it was USA
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 2,388
Are you using LGW less in 2011?
I live 20 mins from LGW and love the convenience of the airport. But watching the Inside Gatwick series on SKY has made me realise I haven't flown from there even once during 2011. 
I've been there plenty of times, but only to pick up relatives...
Most of my business flying is domestic and short-haul European. But the reduced domestic schedule from LGW (fewer Scotland flights, no NCL etc), means LHR is usually far more convenient. For example, when flying home after a meeting from GLA, the array of flight times to LHR mean I can usually get a more conveniently timed return flight, put up with the M25 rush-hour nonsense and be home before the LGW flight has even touched down.
To put it in comparison (approx):
2009
LHR returns: 7
LGW returns: 8
2010
LHR returns: 8
LGW returns: 5
LCY returns: 1 (strike avoidance!)
2011 - (and taking into account advance bookings to year-end)
LHR returns: 14
LGW returns: 0
Am I the only one using LGW far less, or have others noticed this pattern too?
It does make me wonder - how am I ever going to stand a chance of bumping into SRG if I continue to avoid the place?
I've been there plenty of times, but only to pick up relatives...Most of my business flying is domestic and short-haul European. But the reduced domestic schedule from LGW (fewer Scotland flights, no NCL etc), means LHR is usually far more convenient. For example, when flying home after a meeting from GLA, the array of flight times to LHR mean I can usually get a more conveniently timed return flight, put up with the M25 rush-hour nonsense and be home before the LGW flight has even touched down.
To put it in comparison (approx):
2009
LHR returns: 7
LGW returns: 8
2010
LHR returns: 8
LGW returns: 5
LCY returns: 1 (strike avoidance!)
2011 - (and taking into account advance bookings to year-end)
LHR returns: 14
LGW returns: 0
Am I the only one using LGW far less, or have others noticed this pattern too?
It does make me wonder - how am I ever going to stand a chance of bumping into SRG if I continue to avoid the place?
Sep 14, 2011, 1:49 pm
#3
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Manchester/Berlin
Programs: BAEC Gold, Hilton Honours
Posts: 209
I use Gatwick very little these days. I don't really like it. Too much of a leisure airport and I hate the journey I normally take to get there
Last edited by gtomlinson; Sep 14, 2011 at 1:54 pm
Sep 14, 2011, 1:51 pm
#4
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 7,464
Using it far more than I expected, but I am not caring. I really like Gatwick, in particular the BA staff. I just wish the BA Management at T5 would hire some coaches for a day then drag the T5 ground staff around the M25 to see how customer service should be provided.
^ for Gatwick
^ for Gatwick
Sep 14, 2011, 1:52 pm
#5
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Knightsbridge, London
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 93
I live 20 mins from LGW and love the convenience of the airport. But watching the Inside Gatwick series on SKY has made me realise I haven't flown from there even once during 2011. I've been there plenty of times, but only to pick up relatives...
Most of my business flying is domestic and short-haul European. But the reduced domestic schedule from LGW (fewer Scotland flights, no NCL etc), means LHR is usually far more convenient. For example, when flying home after a meeting from GLA, the array of flight times to LHR mean I can usually get a more conveniently timed return flight, put up with the M25 rush-hour nonsense and be home before the LGW flight has even touched down.
To put it in comparison (approx):
2009
LHR returns: 7
LGW returns: 8
2010
LHR returns: 8
LGW returns: 5
LCY returns: 1 (strike avoidance!)
2011 - (and taking into account advance bookings to year-end)
LHR returns: 14
LGW returns: 0
Am I the only one using LGW far less, or have others noticed this pattern too?
It does make me wonder - how am I ever going to stand a chance of bumping into SRG if I continue to avoid the place?
I've been there plenty of times, but only to pick up relatives...Most of my business flying is domestic and short-haul European. But the reduced domestic schedule from LGW (fewer Scotland flights, no NCL etc), means LHR is usually far more convenient. For example, when flying home after a meeting from GLA, the array of flight times to LHR mean I can usually get a more conveniently timed return flight, put up with the M25 rush-hour nonsense and be home before the LGW flight has even touched down.
To put it in comparison (approx):
2009
LHR returns: 7
LGW returns: 8
2010
LHR returns: 8
LGW returns: 5
LCY returns: 1 (strike avoidance!)
2011 - (and taking into account advance bookings to year-end)
LHR returns: 14
LGW returns: 0
Am I the only one using LGW far less, or have others noticed this pattern too?
It does make me wonder - how am I ever going to stand a chance of bumping into SRG if I continue to avoid the place?
Sep 14, 2011, 1:55 pm
#6
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: London
Programs: Mucci Petit Four de Pucci, RedVee's Navigator Badge, BA Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 3,124
I think the OP sums this up. The more you run down a service and reduce it, the less people will use it. Ever decreasing circles, self fulfilling prophecy, etc.
This is what has happened at LGW. The only positive thing is the excellence of the LGW staff and, consequently, many aspects of the product. ^
On the other hand, if you improve a service, people will use it, as Ken Livingstone (remember him?) showed with London buses.
I am using LGW less becaue there is less going on there. No more flights to MAD, NCL, JFK, MUC etc etc. Not because I don't want to use it. Thankfully there are still MAN flights and they are useful to me.
This is what has happened at LGW. The only positive thing is the excellence of the LGW staff and, consequently, many aspects of the product. ^
On the other hand, if you improve a service, people will use it, as Ken Livingstone (remember him?) showed with London buses.
I am using LGW less becaue there is less going on there. No more flights to MAD, NCL, JFK, MUC etc etc. Not because I don't want to use it. Thankfully there are still MAN flights and they are useful to me.
Sep 14, 2011, 1:56 pm
#7
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Manchester/Berlin
Programs: BAEC Gold, Hilton Honours
Posts: 209
Using it far more than I expected, but I am not caring. I really like Gatwick, in particular the BA staff. I just wish the BA Management at T5 would hire some coaches for a day then drag the T5 ground staff around the M25 to see how customer service should be provided.
^ for Gatwick
^ for Gatwick
They are under a lot less pressure at Gatwick in terms of the operation size and amount of pax.
Sep 14, 2011, 2:14 pm
#8
Join Date: Jan 2000
Programs: Latinpass Million Miler. BA Gold.
Posts: 3,544
I'm sure the staff are great at LGW, but to be honest that would not be a reason to pick LGW over LHR. Schedule (is there actually a flight from the airport to the place I want to go), timing (at the right time) and price determine where I fly from. So yes, I'm doing LGW less because no longer are there BA flights to the US hubs (esp DFW), and GB Airways is no longer either. On the other hand I chose LGW over LHR recently to fly to GVA (a combination of timing and price). Now in the past BA used to fly this route, but this time I had to go with easyJet.
I'm going to SJU later this year - but I'm forced to go via LHR and MIA because the BA schedule to SJU is useless for me.
Oh, and I live also 20 minutes from LGW - so LGW is much more convenient and predictable - no possibility (Certainty
) of traffic jams round the M25.
I'm going to SJU later this year - but I'm forced to go via LHR and MIA because the BA schedule to SJU is useless for me.
Oh, and I live also 20 minutes from LGW - so LGW is much more convenient and predictable - no possibility (Certainty
) of traffic jams round the M25.
Sep 14, 2011, 2:20 pm
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: UK, but sometimes wish it was USA
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 2,388
I guess this thread serves no purpose. All it does is show to BA they can take routes away and reduce the volume of flights to the destinations they do have, and BA's status passengers who live nearby will travel further to LHR.
I will make the effort to give it a whirl the next time I need to go to MAN, but having booked 1 x GLA and 1 x EDI trips today on ba.com. the times were just so much more convenient from LHR.
Sep 14, 2011, 2:27 pm
#11
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: London
Programs: Mucci Petit Four de Pucci, RedVee's Navigator Badge, BA Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 3,124
I've recently had to change a MAN to LGW return portion to LHR because they cancelled and have taken out the later LGW flight, tryingn to put me on the midday flight, when I need to be there well into the afternoon. I don't mind LHR but I had booked, and would prefer, LGW.
Sep 14, 2011, 2:45 pm
#12
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: 64K or 2A
Programs: BA LT Gold, HH Diamond
Posts: 785
I just use it when I need to - so this year I'll use it for RAK and MLE and would have used it for SSH if the miserable swine hadn't withdrawn the route. As pointed out, this is mostly leisure stuff as that's where the flights are. Where I've have a choice, I would choose LHR for convenience, nothing else. And if HKG, NRT, HND, SYD, PHL, IAH, DFW, IST, HEL and wherever else I've trailed off to this year had been from LGW I'd have no doubt used it more....
Sep 14, 2011, 3:06 pm
#14
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Brighton, UK
Programs: BA Gold, IC Ambassador, HH Gold, SPG Gold, Fairmont Platinum
Posts: 3,166
I am not sure I get the comments about LGW being too much of a leisure airport.
Sure there are some leisure orientated BA flights, but there are also business orientated SH and domestic destinations. Is the F lounge any more leisure orientated than Galleries F at LHR?
From my prespective, I go where the flights are. LGW is a nice enough airport and has improved much since BAA sold it. Big plus is the excellent staff, downside is lounges not quite up to LHR standard. If they improved the catering, I would be very happy.
Other big plus is that CE fares from LGW are more competitive than LHR.
If there were more destinations, I would use LGW more often. At the moment I average a flight every other month. Ironically being based in Brighton I have to pass LGW to go to LHR
I do hope BA put some more European short haul at LGW. For me biggest issue would be if LGW SH flights went one class, in which case I would not be using LGW at all any longer
Sure there are some leisure orientated BA flights, but there are also business orientated SH and domestic destinations. Is the F lounge any more leisure orientated than Galleries F at LHR?
From my prespective, I go where the flights are. LGW is a nice enough airport and has improved much since BAA sold it. Big plus is the excellent staff, downside is lounges not quite up to LHR standard. If they improved the catering, I would be very happy.
Other big plus is that CE fares from LGW are more competitive than LHR.
If there were more destinations, I would use LGW more often. At the moment I average a flight every other month. Ironically being based in Brighton I have to pass LGW to go to LHR
I do hope BA put some more European short haul at LGW. For me biggest issue would be if LGW SH flights went one class, in which case I would not be using LGW at all any longer