Delta returns to London Gatwick - its first trans-Atlantic destination
Apr 6, 2019, 3:40 am
#46
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I remember flying CVG-LGW in a DL L-1011 in January of, I think, 1989. It was early in January and the outbound (for me) flight had a lot of British passengers returning from Florida who had been rerouted from flights via ATL. Many seemed to be dressed in beach wear and were shivering in cold Ohio. On the return flight a week later, also an L-1011, there were only six passengers in all of Y. These were my only flights ever in a TriStar.
Apr 6, 2019, 3:52 am
#47
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Kings Cross is the station for Cambridge, York, Leeds, Hull, Newcastle, Edinburgh and Aberdeen. St. Pancras is the terminal for the Eurostar to Paris Nord and Bruxelles Midi, high speed commuter trains into Kent, and mainline service to Leicester, Derby, Nottingham and Sheffield.
Apr 6, 2019, 4:32 am
#48
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I was on one of the last LGW-JFK trips back in 2009 (I had flown eastbound via CVG). AT LGW, DL had both a Crown Room and an arrivals facility (the latter was in the Arora hotel attached to the North Terminal). Delta flew one of the ex-TWA ETOPS 757s; there were only about 40 pax on the entire flight; so everyone in the back who wanted one got a row of three. Just about as good as Business Elite.
Apr 6, 2019, 4:33 am
#49
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Apr 6, 2019, 8:18 am
#51
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A Delta 75S (lie-flat 757-200 with winglets) might struggle westbound in winter winds on TXL-JFK (ask United flyers about Gander and Bangor diversions on TXL-EWR with 757s) but should have ample range for LGW-BOS/JFK on all but the very worst days. I make no prediction as to Delta's choice of aircraft to start nor what might be sustained.
Apr 6, 2019, 9:20 am
#52
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Apr 6, 2019, 10:44 am
#53
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Apr 6, 2019, 11:09 am
#54
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+1 to this. I fly into LGW from the continent (and pay the Ł7 for premium immigration as mentioned by ElmhurstNick) and find it more convenient than LHR (arrivals from the US). Easier transfer to the train station, and a fast ride on various services (vs a long haul on the Piccadilly or a fast train to Paddington). If Crossrail ever opens I might change my opinion back to LHR, but in the mean time I'd actually be pretty happy if DL/VS moved their entire operation to LGW (which of course they won't).
Apr 6, 2019, 12:37 pm
#55
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Apr 7, 2019, 7:49 am
#56
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This was just weird. No doubt an attempt by Delta to pre-empt JetBlue's expected announcement this week that it's flying to London.
Delta seems to be keeping the 757s that feature a domestic first-class cabin branded as premium-economy on flights to Shannon and Reykjavik. It would be relatively easy for them to expand this to Gatwick, especially if it wanted to target conscious leisure travelers.
On the other hand, Virgin Atlantic has lower labor costs than Delta so it makes since for Delta to codeshare Virgin Atlantic flights. Plus, I think the average leisure traveler prefers the experience of flying a British-flagged airline to Britain.
Delta seems to be keeping the 757s that feature a domestic first-class cabin branded as premium-economy on flights to Shannon and Reykjavik. It would be relatively easy for them to expand this to Gatwick, especially if it wanted to target conscious leisure travelers.
On the other hand, Virgin Atlantic has lower labor costs than Delta so it makes since for Delta to codeshare Virgin Atlantic flights. Plus, I think the average leisure traveler prefers the experience of flying a British-flagged airline to Britain.
Apr 7, 2019, 7:53 am
#57
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That just assumes you want to connect in London vs. Paris, Amsterdam or Rome - or aren't already on a non-stop to KEF, GLA, EDI, DUB, SNN, MAN, CPH, TXL, DUS, BRU, FRA, PRG, ZRH, VCE, MXP, NCE, MAD, BCN, LIS, AGP, or ATH. You caught the press release references to DL being the #1 TATL carrier all in destinations, U.S. gateways, city pairs and customers carried, right? 
B6 will not be operating from a position of strength TATL, not from JFK or BOS. They're not going to have the network, the fleet diversity, nor the corporate contracts. They certainly don't have the operational chops: look at on-time and flight cancellation data.
B6 will not be operating from a position of strength TATL, not from JFK or BOS. They're not going to have the network, the fleet diversity, nor the corporate contracts. They certainly don't have the operational chops: look at on-time and flight cancellation data.
Apr 7, 2019, 7:58 am
#58
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VS interlines with BA, though it's not particularly easy to buy a ticket, you have to call VS or use a TA (some OTAs might be able to book). I did JFK-LHR-GVA on VS/BA recently. It's also not the most seamless experience, you have to effectively manage the reservations separately (e.g., for seat assignments) and OLCI doesn't work well.
Apr 7, 2019, 8:00 am
#59
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I can see all the fanny-pack tourists showing up to the wrong London airport.
Apr 7, 2019, 8:05 am
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Considering the fact that Delta loves subsidies, despite decrying their competition for receiving them, Delta should have looked at Stansted for these flights if only because the landing fees would be lower and, who knows, they might get subsidized. I still think either Delta will fly 757s with premium-economy as the highest class of service or rely on Virgin Atlantic, which has reduced labor costs.