British Airways’ Galleries Club and First lounges in the North Terminal of London Gatwick airport are to close permanently in January 2016.
This move is to allow the redevelopment of the North Terminal which will see easyJet consolidate its London Gatwick operations in the North Terminal and British Airways move to the South Terminal in November 2016.
In the interim, BA passengers will have access to the No 1 lounge. However details are scant as to what specific lounge amenities will be available on a complimentary basis to BA Club and First passengers.
BA has assured that a new lounge complex will be built in the South terminal. However, again, details are scant as to the format of the lounges and specifically whether there will be a dedicated First lounge for First Class passengers and Executive Club Gold cardholders, as is present in the North terminal.
Canadian airline WestJet has today confirmed it is to launch summer seasonal direct flights from London Gatwick to no less than six Canadian cities: Toronto, Calgary, Vancouver, St John’s, Edmonton and Winnipeg.
Flights will operate from the week beginning Monday 4 May 2015 to the end of October 2015.
Flights to Vancouver will operate six times weekly, Edmonton will operate twice weekly, Calgary five times weekly and Winnipeg once weekly. Flights to Toronto and St. John’s will both operate once daily. In total, this represents 28 return trips from London Gatwick total each week.
This represents a significant expansion in capacity between London and Canada, and significant competition to British Airways and Air Canada from London Heathrow and Air Canada Rouge and Air Transat from London Gatwick. This, combined with the expansion of Norwegian at London Gatwick means that the airport is carving out a niche for low cost transatlantic travel.
In the case of Winnipeg, WestJet’s service will also be the only direct route between the city and London.
All London flights, with the exception of flights to St John’s, will be operated by one of WestJet’s four Boeing 767-300ERW extended range aircraft.
Each Boeing 767 seats 262 passengers. The main economy cabin has 238 seats in a 2-3-2 configuration. Passengers in the main cabin will be offered complimentary snacks and non-alcoholic drinks and the option to purchase hot meals. The cabin does not also feature seat back in flight entertainment. Instead, the aircraft will be equipped with WestJet Connect, the airline’s inflight entertainment and wireless connectivity system which can stream entertainment to your smartphone/tablet. Passengers are also offered one complimentary checked bag. However, seat selection fees will apply.
The aircraft will include a “Plus” premium cabin with 24 seats in a 2-2-2 configuration and complimentary hot meals.
Flights are on sale now and to mark the launch, WestJet is offering special introductory fares which it claims are the lowest on the market for bookings made by Wednesday 16 September for travel between 6 May 2015 to 28 June 2015.
WestJet Boeing 767 aircraft (Image Credit: WestJet)
Canadian airline WestJet has today confirmed it is to launch summer seasonal direct flights from London Gatwick to no less than six Canadian cities: Toronto, Calgary, Vancouver, St John’s, Edmonton and Winnipeg.
Flights will operate from the week beginning Monday 4 May 2015 to the end of October 2015.
Flights to Vancouver will operate six times weekly, Edmonton will operate twice weekly, Calgary five times weekly and Winnipeg once weekly. Flights to Toronto and St. John’s will both operate once daily.
In total, this represents 28 return trips from London Gatwick total each week.
This represents a significant expansion in capacity between London and Canada, and significant competition to British Airways and Air Canada from London Heathrow and Air Canada Rouge and Air Transat from London Gatwick. This, combined with the expansion of Norwegian at London Gatwick means that the airport is carving out a niche for low cost transatlantic travel.
In the case of Winnipeg, WestJet’s service will also be the only direct route between the city and London.
All London flights, with the exception of flights to St John’s, will be operated by one of WestJet’s four Boeing 767-300ERW extended range aircraft.
Each Boeing 767 seats 262 passengers. The main economy cabin has 238 seats in a 2-3-2 configuration. Passengers in the main cabin will be offered complimentary snacks and non-alcoholic drinks and the option to purchase hot meals. The cabin does not also feature seat back in flight entertainment. Instead, the aircraft will be equipped with WestJet Connect, the airline’s inflight entertainment and wireless connectivity system which can stream entertainment to your smartphone/tablet. Passengers are also offered one complimentary checked bag. However, seat selection fees will apply.
The aircraft will include a “Plus” premium cabin with 24 seats in a 2-2-2 configuration and complimentary hot meals.
Flights are on sale now and to mark the launch, WestJet is offering special introductory fares which it claims are the lowest on the market for bookings made by Wednesday 16 September for travel between 6 May 2015 to 28 June 2015.
London Gatwick Airfield (Image Credit: London Gatwick Airport)
Hot on the heels of the announcement of a new route from London Gatwick to Costa Rica, BA is to launch another new long haul route from Gatwick to Lima (Jorge Chávez International Airport) in Peru.
The route launches on Wednesday 4 May 2016. Flights will initially operate three times weekly, departing on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.
The route will be operated with a three class, Club World business class, World Traveller Plus premium economy, World Traveller economy, Boeing 777-200 aircraft.
This will be the only current direct route between London and Peru. BA’s IAG sibling Iberia also flies to Peru from Madrid and passengers will be able “mix and match” direct and indirect flights operated by both airlines.
Hot on the heels of the announcement of a new route from London Gatwick to Costa Rica, BA is to launch another new long haul route from Gatwick to Lima (Jorge Chávez International Airport) in Peru.
The route launches on Wednesday 4 May. Flights will initially operate three times weekly, departing on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.
The route will be operated with a three class (Club World business class, World Traveller Plus premium economy, World Traveller economy) Boeing 777 aircraft.
This will be the only current direct route between London and Peru. BA’s Iberia sibling also flies to Peru from Madrid and passengers will be able “mix and match” direct and indirect flights operated by both airlines.
London Gatwick Airfield (Image Credit: London Gatwick Airport)
British Airways is to launch a new direct route from London Gatwick to San Jose (airport code SJO), Costa Rica from Wednesday 4 May 2016.
Flights will initially operate twice weekly, increasing to three times a week from the end of October 2016:
Flights will be operated with a three class Boeing 777 aircraft (world Traveller economy, World Traveller Plus premium economy and Club World business class) and are on sale now at ba.com
This will be the only direct service between London and Costa Rica. BA’s IAG sibling Iberia also flies to San Jose daily from Madrid, and bookings can combine flights on the two airlines. For the avoidance of any doubt, BA does not currently fly direct to San Jose, California (airport code SJC).
London Gatwick – San Jose, Costa Rica
Flight BA2137 Depart London Gatwick 11:55 Arrive San Jose 15:45 (Weds)
Flight BA2137 Depart London Gatwick 11:00 Arrive San Jose 14:50 (Sat)
Flight BA2136 Depart San Jose 17:15 Arrive London Gatwick 10:30 (Weds)
Flight BA2136 Depart San Jose 16:20 Arrive London Gatwick 09:35 (Sat)
Valencia is BA’s fifteenth Spanish destination with flights already operating to Alicante, Barcelona, Bilbao, Fuerteventura, Granada, Gran Canaria, Ibiza, Lanzarote, Madrid, Malaga, Mallorca, Menorca, Seville and Tenerife from a combination of London Heathrow, Gatwick and City airports.
Valencia is BA’s fifteenth Spanish destination with flights already operating to Alicante, Barcelona, Bilbao, Fuerteventura, Granada, Gran Canaria, Ibiza, Lanzarote, Madrid, Malaga, Mallorca, Menorca, Seville and Tenerife from a combination of London Heathrow, Gatwick and City airports.
BA Airbus A319 aircraft at London Heathrow (Image Credit: British Airways)
BA has recently announced a number of schedule changes to some of its short-haul routes from London Heathrow and Gatwick:
London Heathrow – Gothenburg
From 25 October 2015, BA will add a year round third daily flight on this route which will operate at the following times until 27 March 2016:
Flight BA802 Depart London Heathrow 19:15 – Arrive Gothenburg 22:15
Flight BA803 Depart Gothenburg 08:00 – Arrive London Heathrow 09:15
This is what’s known as a “night stop” which means it is timed for an early morning departure from Gothenburg.
London Gatwick – Bodrum
This twice weekly, summer seasonal, route to Bodrum in Turkey will now end on Monday 19 October 2015, instead of Monday 2 November 2015, as was planned.
This means that flights BA2566 and BA2567 are cancelled on 22, 26, 29 October and 2 November. Alternative flights to Dalaman and Istanbul, with no onward connections, are available for affected passengers.
London Gatwick – Dubrovnik
The Monday departure from London Gatwick to Dubrovnik in Croatia will be cancelled from 26 October 2015 (flights BA2678 and BA2679).
BA will continue operate the route on other days. However, the Friday departure will also be cancelled between 8 January 2016 and 5 February 2016.
London Gatwick – Nice
BA will reduce its frequency on this route from 14 to 12 flights a week from 22 November 2015. Flights BA2622 and BA2623 will be cancelled on Wednesdays and Sundays.
It is likely that there will be further schedule and route announcements over the next couple of months in advance of the launch of the Winter timetable on 25 October 2015.
