While the former CEO of British AirwaysWilli Walsh, wanted to retain the base of GatwickLondon's second largest airport after Heathrowthe company's new CEO, Sean Doylenow wants to reduce the presence of the British airline. The aim is to attract more high-cost passengers from all over Europe to its Heathrow hub.
At the start of the pandemic, British Airways decided to suspend all its short-haul routes from London-Gatwick concentrating most of its activity on its Heathrow hub. At the time, the carrier announced that it was suspending its routes until March 2021.
At the time, British Airways explained: " Until March 2021, most of our short-haul flights will continue to operate from Heathrow. This enables us to ensure smooth, uninterrupted and efficient operation across our entire network.at a time when demand has not yet returned and restrictions on international travel remain in place" .
Several long-haul routes leave Gatwick for Heathrow
Sean Doyle, who took over as CEO of British Airways just ten days ago, is said to be in favour of a complete abandonment of the platform. At a time when the carrier is struggling to regain its traditional passenger base, Sean Doyle wants to transfer the few remaining long-haul routes to Heathrow. That's another dozen or so connections. These routes mainly serve holiday destinations that are perceived as high-contribution.
Last week, British Airways had already transferred its flights to the Maldives from Gatwick to Heathrow. The airline has also relaunched daily flights to Barbados from Heathrow after a 15-year absence. Next March, British Airways will inaugurate a non-stop flight to Bermuda.
In the period prior to Covid, British Airways offered flights to around 65 destinations from Gatwick.This means around fifty departures a day on peak days.
BA's expected departure from Gatwick is not just claiming victims. Ultra low-cost carrier Wizz Air wishes to retrieve slots of the British national airline. As a result, it could increase its capacity at Gatwick. The carrier currently operates four routes to Athens, Lanzarote, Malta and Naples, with a total of 14 weekly flights.
