Symmetre

Not sure how I feel about this. I prefer LGW to LHR for a number of reasons, being smaller and less congested.

cirrusdragoon

Much prefer LHR for international connectivity , I cannot get to FRA from LGW. It is very limited for options to OTP and MAD. I cannot even get to CAI if I am in LGW. I have no problems at LHR . Much prefer the lounge options ( enjoy my skyteam lounge there) and shopping at LHR , more choice.

Error 601

Where are you travelling from that you would need to go through the UK to get to Frankfurt?

Frequentlander

LGW and LHR are both pretty bad airports but LGW is the less objectionable of the two. The only benefit that LHR has is for connections. If you need to connect, you're going through LHR, but if I'm connections, I try and find another route to get to my destination, that doesn't involve LHR.

If I'm visiting UK and need to get a train from central London (or staying in London), LGW has good rail connections.
If I'm visiting places more northerly, I'll look at Iceland air and go into MAN, GLA or EDI.

As for shopping.... my idea of a perfect airport is a featureless box with clean toilets and on time departures. Every-time I'm made to navigate the maze through some duty free, I want to tip a very expensive and repugnant-smelling bottle of perfume all over airport manager.

cirrusdragoon

I am London based currently. LHR is much closer to the central city and connected far better by rail than LGW. Especially even more so once the Elizabeth line opens , the central section of the Elizabeth Line crossing London between Paddington and Abbey Wood could now be ready to open in the first half of 2022.

thenoflyzone

Intermediate stop to where? They have a hard time filling planes to London as it is, much less to other European cities, with a one-stop at that.

Very likely WS ends up not using these ad-hoc slots to LHR.

LondonElite

I can't see how that makes much sense, flying a heavy into LHR/LGW and then on to another airport in Europe? Not very attractive to pax and a very expensive proposition for an airline.

Fiordland

Does not have to be a Heavy. WS was normally flying the 737 across the pond. The onward connection also does not have to be the same aircraft that does the transatlatic flight. It simply has to have the same flight number.

LondonElite

I’m not convinced that WS would sign up for that, nor do I think they’ll get the freedom rights to do so, not to mention that no one locally will choose that service. It’s a non-starter idea, IMO.

tracon

https://aviationweek.com/air-transpo...iver-extension

The European Commission (EC) has agreed to extend the slot waiver until the end of the 2020/2021 winter season, in a move aimed at helping the aviation sector recover from the devastation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

hollywoodcory17

They've updated their schedule already until November 4, and still no LHR. Doubt they would add it with such short notice now.

hollywoodcory17

WestJet has returned the slots they obtained for LHR this winter, and continue to serve LGW for the time being.

hollywoodcory17

Perhaps its time to revive this discussion? On Heathrow's website under the terminal finder, if you check dates in the summer it shows WS flights under flight numbers 60/61 to YYC and 62/63 to YVR and that they are scheduled to use terminal 2. Perhaps just like back in the winter, due to COVID, WS was able to get ad-hoc slots. Under the waiver, should WS choose to use these slots they would still be subjected to the 80/20 rule.

If you look under Arrivals/Departures it also shows a schedule too:
WS060 Arrives 12:10 / WS061 Departs 16:00. (Also scheduled: Arrives: 11:00 / Departs: 13:20 on certain dates)
WS062 Arrives 10:15 / WS063 Departs 13:15

This same clue is being used to speculate that JetBlue is about to announce LHR as well.

Curious to see what lies in the future. For now YYC/YYZ-LGW are scheduled to resume May 5 and YVR/YHZ-LGW from June 5.

https://www.heathrow.com/at-the-airp...which-terminal (Search: YYC or YVR on June 1 and beyond)
https://i.imgur.com/k7y7fja.jpg

Adam Smith

I doubt WS is going to fly to LHR any time soon. I can see why they would apply for the slots for the option value, but LGW is presumably cheaper for them to fly to and fine for those destined for London itself.

LHR's big advantage over LGW is for connecting traffic, but WS is still extremely poor in international partnerships, so there doesn't seem to be much value there.

A comment now not related to your post in particular, cory, but I find this notion expressed upthread that WS flying YYC-LHR would somehow kill AC's YYC-LHR flight to be laughable. Those who have been choosing to fly AC if London is their destination have been picking it over WS for whatever reasons they have - status, price, corporate contracts, whatever - and not because of which airport they flew to.

AC also does a fair amount of connecting traffic at LHR, mostly with *A partners, but some with BA. How would WS poach someone who would have flown YYC-LHR-JNB on AC then SA or BA? Or someone doing YYC-LHR-India on AC-AI? Those people are generally not buying separate tickets, which is the only way WS would be competitive.

cirrusdragoon

Business travellers travelling on business prefer LHR . Westjet knows they need to serve LHR to attract that market segment. Westjet is vying for closer ties with Virgin Atlantic , whom has recently consolidated their presence at LHR. Then there is the relationship with Air France KLM . Emirates as well does serve LHR . The two are current codeshare partners already. Many possibilities. It is certainly going to be an interesting next few years.