Vietnam Airlines will transfer its flights from London to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh from London Gatwick airport to London Heathrow from 30 March 2015.
The airline will fly to both cities twice a week.
London Heathrow – Hanoi
Flight VN54 Depart London Heathrow 14:45 – Arrive Hanoi 08:30 (Tuesdays, Fridays)
Flight VN55 Depart Hanoi 23:55 – Arrive London Heathrow 06:40 (Monday, Thursday)
London Heathrow – Ho Chi Minh
Flight VN50 Depart London Heathrow 14:45 – Arrive Ho Chi Minh 09:10 (Wednesdays, Saturdays)
Flight VN51 Depart Ho Chi Minh 23:30 – Arrive London Heathrow 06:40 (Tuesdays, Fridays)
Flights will arrive and depart from London Heathrow Terminal 4. Flights are currently operated with a Boeing 777 in a two class (economy and business) configuration
It is noteworthy that Vietnam Airlines has been able to secure an early morning arrival slot at London Heathrow – something which is vital to secure business traffic. These slots can trade for many tens of millions of pounds.
The loss of these routes will be a disappointment to London Gatwick, particularly when both Gatwick and Heathrow are campaigning for additional runway capacity. This move (which follows other long-haul scheduled airlines from Gatwick to Heathrow) supports the argument that long-haul airlines prefer Heathrow over Gatwick.
