Feb 11, 2021, 1:37 pm
Last edit by: alexwuk
September 2021 update:
Suspensions of all remaining LGW short haul services further extended to 26 March 2022, with the exception of: one daily MAN-LGW-MAN rotation (BA2509/BA2508) and one daily GLA-LGW-GLA rotation (BA2511/BA2512)
Many LGW short haul routes will continue to operate from LHR in the meantime; exceptions are ALC/CGN/DBV/GOA, which have been suspended until 26th March 2022 ie these destinations will not operated by BA this Winter.
Suspensions of all remaining LGW short haul services further extended to 26 March 2022, with the exception of: one daily MAN-LGW-MAN rotation (BA2509/BA2508) and one daily GLA-LGW-GLA rotation (BA2511/BA2512)
Many LGW short haul routes will continue to operate from LHR in the meantime; exceptions are ALC/CGN/DBV/GOA, which have been suspended until 26th March 2022 ie these destinations will not operated by BA this Winter.
BA at Gatwick 2021
Jul 21, 2020, 1:49 pm
#422
Join Date: Jul 2013
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, Hilton Diamond *, IHG, Couples Romance Rewards
Posts: 2,351
can only say we have flight to HER leaving from LHR (moved from LGW) but currently returning to LGW(S) in early September, so can guess the current opening date is between 6th and 11th September...
Jul 21, 2020, 4:41 pm
#423
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: Brighton UK
Programs: BAEC-Silver, AMEX-BA Prem' Plus & Standard, Accor Gold, HH-Silver, IHG,IBIS On Business
Posts: 955
SH & LH are returning( EDIT>>: more so and in greater volume. <<EDIT) to LGW from 10th Sept onwards. As a data point im OB LHR-TFS 04th Sept but it will return to LGW on the 11th Sept'.
Off the top of my head I thin it's about 15 routes restarting 10th, 5-8 11th and ramping up from there for the rest of the month( mixed LH & SH). There's a published list I can't find right now( no lies. Days off now and had a drinky so cba to find the thing)
Last edited by TWCLAM; Jul 21, 2020 at 4:43 pm Reason: clarifying-ish
Jul 22, 2020, 10:40 am
#424
Join Date: Apr 2012
Programs: BA Executive Club
Posts: 1,036
Willie Walsh did say a few weeks back that Gatwick still has an important role to play with BA. He said Gatwick had the type of market that at these times BA needed. Leisure travel is looking to recover more quickly than business travel and Gatwick is a lower cost airport to operate from than Heathrow. Leisure travellers may well be even more price conscious post Covid 19 and BA fares from Gatwick are competitive. The operation may be smaller for a while but could well rebound more quickly than the more business orientated routes at Heathrow.
Interestingly BA have announced Gatwick to Montego Bay from October. I booked Gatwick to Paphos for next June and the Club cabin was looking pretty full already. So much so I reserved my seats, something I don’t usually
do.
I wonder if Virgin may have been too hasty in leaving Gatwick. They may have assumed incorrectly that all their Gatwick passengers will follow them to Heathrow. Maybe they will, but with BA operating to similar destinations from lower cost Gatwick it could give BA the edge.
These are just personal thoughts. We shall see.
Interestingly BA have announced Gatwick to Montego Bay from October. I booked Gatwick to Paphos for next June and the Club cabin was looking pretty full already. So much so I reserved my seats, something I don’t usually
do.
I wonder if Virgin may have been too hasty in leaving Gatwick. They may have assumed incorrectly that all their Gatwick passengers will follow them to Heathrow. Maybe they will, but with BA operating to similar destinations from lower cost Gatwick it could give BA the edge.
These are just personal thoughts. We shall see.
Last edited by vectismanpaul; Jul 22, 2020 at 10:48 am
Jul 22, 2020, 11:25 am
#425
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: London, UK
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 3,440
The only thing is, does it make sense to bring LGW Short Haul back before W20? Surely just keeping it at LHR for the rest of Sept/Oct is just easier. Especially if the South terminal remains closed.
Jul 22, 2020, 4:00 pm
#427
Join Date: Feb 2018
Programs: Mucci, BAEC Silver, IHG Platinum Elite
Posts: 1,038
On routes where they successfully compete with EZY I thinks they have to, the cost base from LHR is just too high.
Jul 23, 2020, 12:29 am
#428
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
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Many people on this forum think of LHR as the natural preferred departure point for Central London, but we should bear in mind that LGW also serves as the "home" airport for much of the South East coast, Surrey, and Sussex, which have a large and wealthy population. If, say, you live in Brighton, Eastbourne, or Southampton and want to fly off to AGP, VCE, or NCE for your holiday, you'll choose LGW over LHR or LCY any day, and if only U2 offer this at the moment, that will mean picking them.
Jul 23, 2020, 1:13 am
#429
Join Date: Oct 2019
Programs: BAEC Silver, Volare Executive / Skyteam Elite+
Posts: 672
Yes +1 to that, LHR is a nicer airport than LGW generally but I'd pick LGW for convenience given the option for business or pleasure as it's just so much easier to get to, I can't imagine I'm alone. An hour or so saved and not schlepping the length of the Piccadilly line / fighting round the M25 goes a long way
Jul 23, 2020, 1:32 am
#430
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: UK
Programs: IC Hotels Spire, BA Gold
Posts: 8,669
Brighton, Eastbourne....yes but really not Southampton.
Jul 23, 2020, 2:41 am
#431
Join Date: Jul 2016
Programs: British Airways Exec, Virgin Atlantic
Posts: 80
Anyone on the east side of London can get to Gatwick far easier. I live in Bromley and get a bus to East Croydon and then the train down, all on contactless oyster for about £6. For Heathrow its the slow, old Picadilly Line or the ruinously expensive Heathrow Express.
And more generally, there is a danger in letting the competition get an exclusivity on those routes for too long.
Many people on this forum think of LHR as the natural preferred departure point for Central London, but we should bear in mind that LGW also serves as the "home" airport for much of the South East coast, Surrey, and Sussex, which have a large and wealthy population. If, say, you live in Brighton, Eastbourne, or Southampton and want to fly off to AGP, VCE, or NCE for your holiday, you'll choose LGW over LHR or LCY any day, and if only U2 offer this at the moment, that will mean picking them.
Many people on this forum think of LHR as the natural preferred departure point for Central London, but we should bear in mind that LGW also serves as the "home" airport for much of the South East coast, Surrey, and Sussex, which have a large and wealthy population. If, say, you live in Brighton, Eastbourne, or Southampton and want to fly off to AGP, VCE, or NCE for your holiday, you'll choose LGW over LHR or LCY any day, and if only U2 offer this at the moment, that will mean picking them.
Jul 23, 2020, 2:41 am
#432
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,246
You’d probably have your fingers crossed for more flights from....SOU.
Jul 23, 2020, 2:49 am
#433
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Gold, Accor Live Limitless Gold, Hilton Honours Gold, Avis Preferred Plus
Posts: 1,807
Even from where I used to live in Stevenage, to drive to LHR was approx 1hr or a £50+ taxi journey or a train to London then the long Piccadilly line ride all the way from Finsburk Park or King's Cross St Pancras. To get to LGW was a single Thameslink train from Stevenage, no changes necessary and cheap too. It certainly took longer but it was just easier and I could get some work done sitting in the declassified first class cabin at the back of the train where there are tables.
Jul 23, 2020, 4:42 am
#434
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Join Date: Jun 2008
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Jul 23, 2020, 5:23 am
#435
Join Date: Feb 2018
Programs: Mucci, BAEC Silver, IHG Platinum Elite
Posts: 1,038
And more generally, there is a danger in letting the competition get an exclusivity on those routes for too long.
Many people on this forum think of LHR as the natural preferred departure point for Central London, but we should bear in mind that LGW also serves as the "home" airport for much of the South East coast, Surrey, and Sussex, which have a large and wealthy population. If, say, you live in Brighton, Eastbourne, or Southampton and want to fly off to AGP, VCE, or NCE for your holiday, you'll choose LGW over LHR or LCY any day, and if only U2 offer this at the moment, that will mean picking them.
Many people on this forum think of LHR as the natural preferred departure point for Central London, but we should bear in mind that LGW also serves as the "home" airport for much of the South East coast, Surrey, and Sussex, which have a large and wealthy population. If, say, you live in Brighton, Eastbourne, or Southampton and want to fly off to AGP, VCE, or NCE for your holiday, you'll choose LGW over LHR or LCY any day, and if only U2 offer this at the moment, that will mean picking them.