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Welcome to London Air Travel’s first Monday Briefing of 2022.
BA Cuts Short Haul Schedules
Yesterday’s Sunday Times reported that the government is likely to remove the need for passengers returning to England to take a lateral flow COVID-19 test after arrival.
Airlines will welcome a reduction in the cost and complexity associated with travel. Testing requirements are one of many issues airlines are now dealing with, including staff shortages.
From the airlines’ part, restoring confidence in travel has to also come from them getting to a point where there is stability to their schedules and passengers can book flights without fear of repeated cancellations.
On that theme, a number of BA short haul routes are suspended from today until February. These include:
Basel – Until Thursday 10 February
Brussels – Until Monday 7 February
Inverness – Until Monday 28 February
Luxembourg – Until Monday 28 February
Marseille – Until Wednesday 9 February
Seville – Until Thursday 10 February
Verona – Until Friday 11 February
The airline has also extended the suspension of some routes including:
Bilbao – Until Sunday 20 February
Bordeaux – Until Saturday 26 March
Marrakech – Until Thursday 10 February
Pisa – Until Friday 4 March
Porto – Until Thursday 10 February
Rotterdam – Until Monday 28 February
Stuttgart – Until Monday 28 February
Zagreb – Until Monday 28 February
On long haul, twice daily services to Cape Town restart today. As do Airbus A380 flights to Johannesburg (BA57 & BA54).
This week, BA also suspends flights to Baltimore, Nashville and New Orleans until late April / early May.
Readers can keep up to date with the latest network changes with our dedicated guides to BA’s long haul and short haul networks.
Also of interest this week:
The Spanish government is considering taking a stake in Air Europa by converting government backed loans to the airline into equity. IAG may also acquire a stake in Air Europa after its original deal to buy the airline collapsed late last year. (Bloomberg)
Michael O’Leary indulges in one his favourite activities, namely attacking Lufthansa as the airline calls for airport slot usage rules to be relaxed further. (Politico)
“An entity racked by corruption and fraud” Over no less than 450 pages the first report of Judicial Commission into State Capture documents the decline of South African Airways. (South African Government)
Crossrail may start services as soon as March this year. The line will initially operate in three separate sections. It will be some time before it operates non-stop from Heathrow through Central London and is fully complete. Until then, passengers will benefit from better access to Paddington from Abbey Wood via Central London. (Ian Visits)
News from London Air Travel you may have missed:
BA launches new short haul routes at London City, including Barcelona, Luxembourg, Milan Malpensa and Thessaloniki. (London Air Travel)
Cathay Pacific reopens London Heathrow Terminal 3 lounge. (London Air Travel)
Virgin Alantic launches London Heathrow – Austin. (London Air Travel)
Late post publication updates:
[Reserved for updates throughout the day]
British Airways has extended the cancellation of flights to Hong Kong to Saturday 26 March 2022.
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