Airport News
Gatwick Airport sponsors charity bike ride
Mon, 21 Feb, 2011
London's Gatwick Airport has announced its patronage of a forthcoming charity cycling event.
The facility reports that it will sponsor the St Catherine's Hospice Sussex Weald Bike Ride, scheduled to take place on Sunday 22nd May 2011.
In addition, collection boxes for the medical facility will be situated throughout Gatwick Airport for the next two years, funds from which will go straight to St Catherine's, which provides end-of-life care for locals.
Chief executive of the facility Stewart Wingate expressed his delight at the move and claimed he was particularly interested in the upcoming event.
"As a keen cyclist myself I will be signing up for the challenge and I invite people across the area to get on their bikes for their local hospice on 22nd May," he said.
Earlier in the month, Mr Wingate welcomed a move by German carrier airberlin to host a range of new services at Gatwick Airport.
'Formigal is just a flight away' from Gatwick Airport
Wed, 09 Feb, 2011
Gatwick Airport's services to the Pyrenees have been promoted for winter sports fans.
Carmen Hernandez Gomez of the Spanish Tourism Office noted that trips to the skiing resort of Formigal are now "just a flight away" for those who travel via the facility.
Her comments came as she predicted which destinations in the country would be popular with holidaymakers in 2011.
Ms Hernandez Gomez stated that "interest" in Spain's culinary offerings has prompted growth in demand for areas in the north and made particular mention of Galicia, Leon and Asturias.
She went on to explain that city breaks are also being favoured by visitors to the country.
"Places like Madrid, Seville, Valencia, Oviedo, San Sebastian and Barcelona offer the chance to see art, do shopping, sample lovely food and wine, and all under the Spanish sun," the industry expert said.
The country's Costa Brava also received praise for its natural beauty in a recent Daily Mail article.
Gatwick Airport announces new airberlin routes
Tue, 08 Feb, 2011
London's Gatwick Airport has announced the launch of new routes to the German cities of Hanover and Nuremberg.
The facility welcomed the arrival of carrier airberlin, who will be flying the services, and greeted its first flights from Germany with its "official airfield water arch".
Stewart Wingate, chief executive at Gatwick Airport, expressed his delight at the choice of airberlin to base their new routes at the facility.
"This is the first step in a long-term relationship with airberlin, which we hope will generate further destinations not currently served … and open up more choice for our passengers," he said.
Similar sentiments were expressed by Titus Johnson, airberlin's UK and Ireland manager, who claimed Gatwick Airport has "great links" in London and the south-east.
Last month, the facility received accolades from the Econsultancy Innovation Awards for its "innovative" use of social media in communicating with its customers and inviting their feedback on issues via the medium.
Customer care award picked up by Gatwick Airport
Fri, 21 Jan, 2011
Passengers using Gatwick Airport's social media may be impressed with service they receive as the hub has just won an award for its customer care.
The terminal received the accolade for innovation in online customer service at the Econsultancy Innovation Awards 2010.
A panel comprising of internet experts working for brands ranging from Mercedes Benz to eBay and the BBC picked the airport for its approach with helping its customers online.
The judges stated it had been chosen for offering "probably the most holistic use of social media seen in a customer-focused business".
Gatwick Airport's head of airport communications Samantha Holgate said that staff in the social media communications section of the airport were "thrilled" with the recognition and added that there is more to come from them.
The use of social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter to improve the experiences of travellers was recently highlighted by the Globe and Mail.
Gatwick Airport aims to increase growth potential
Thu, 20 Jan, 2011
Gatwick Airport could grow dramatically in the next decade in order to keep up with the demands of travellers.
Responding to a report which stated that there was a pressing need to address the issue of airport capacity in the south-east, Stewart Wingate, chief executive of Gatwick Airport, cautioned against dismissing the role that the region's existing hubs can play.
"We are already looking at how we can make more efficient use of our single runway and realise growth potential at Gatwick," Mr Wingate explained.
He added that aviation was a "critical pillar" of the UK and calculations by the airport have predicted that it could be expanded by as much as 25 per cent in the next ten years.
Despite the claims, the airport actually saw its year-on-year figures for December 2010 decline slightly on 2009's levels, which was in part blamed on the number of flights affected by the heavy snow.
Gatwick Airport unveils new travel spa
Fri, 14 Jan, 2011
Gatwick Airport has announced the launch of a new travel spa, which will open in the North Terminal just in time for the start of the 2011 summer season.
After paying an entry fee of £20, passengers can treat themselves to a pre-flight pampering session at the facility, which provides a range of services including a mini-cinema and recreation area.
A wide variety of treatments are on offer for travellers, including hairdressing, massage, manicures and showers.
Chief commercial officer at Gatwick Airport Robin Longden expressed his hopes that the new facility will make passengers feel as if their holiday has started early.
"Our £1 billion investment programme is geared towards making the passenger experience more pleasant and enjoyable - providing better, speedier check-in products [and] shorter queues at security," he said.
This comes after statistics from Gatwick Airport revealed that passenger number had experienced a year-on-year decline of more than ten per cent in December.
Gatwick Airport sees year-on-year growth
Wed, 15 Dec, 2010
London's Gatwick Airport has seen year-on-year growth of 2.7 per cent for passenger numbers in the first month of 2010's winter season.
The facility reported that an extra one per cent could have been added to this figure, if it had not been for the severe weather which hit the UK during the final weeks of November.
Gatwick Airport also reported that European scheduled passengers grew by ten per cent last month, which it attributed to the introduction of new services from the likes of easyJet and Ryanair.
Chief executive at the hub Stewart Wingate pointed out that one of the facility's latest additions, Norwegian Air Shuttle, is still growing.
"It's great to see growth from easyJet, our largest customer, and from British Airways who are adding more long-haul leisure routes to their strong short-haul schedule," he said.
Earlier in the month, Gatwick Airport revealed it would be rolling out a new range of services to help passengers with reduced mobility and other disabilities.
Gatwick Airport sees improvement in customer satisfaction
Wed, 24 Nov, 2010
Passengers using Gatwick Airport have been vocal in their praise of recent improvements at the terminal.
After being known for its long queues, the London Evening Standard has reported that it is now seeing a lot more positive feedback from fliers.
A year after the airport was taken over by the Global Infrastructure Partners investment fund, London's Gatwick Airport has recorded a 70 per cent drop in the number of complaints received about the time spent waiting in security queues.
It has also seen the amount of positive feedback given by travellers double in the same period.
Stewart Wingate, chief executive officer of Gatwick Airport, told the newspaper: "I'm pleased with the progress we're making but there's still a lot to do."
The news comes as airberlin announced that it is to base its UK operations at the airport from February 2011, when it will commence flights to Nuremburg and Hanover.
Gatwick Airport chosen as airberlin's London base
Tue, 16 Nov, 2010
London's Gatwick Airport has been chosen to play host to the UK base of European airline airberlin.
The carrier will use Gatwick Airport to fly direct services to Nuremberg and Hanover from February 2011 and is the second organisation, alongside Norwegian Air Shuttle, to pick the facility as its London base in the past 18 months.
Chief executive at the hub Stewart Wingate expressed his delight at being chosen by the airline and claimed Gatwick looks forward to offering the new services to its passengers.
"We are transforming Gatwick with a £1 billion investment programme that will modernise the facilities, improve customer service and bolster the public transport links into London," he said.
Mr Wingate went on to state that the airberlin announcement was proof that progress was being made in achieving improving the facility.
Earlier in the month, Gatwick Airport revealed that it has experienced 0.8 per cent year-on-year growth in traffic during October 2010.
Gatwick Airport reports year-on-year growth
Fri, 12 Nov, 2010
London's Gatwick Airport has revealed an increase in traffic in its latest statistics for October.
The facility reported year-on-year growth of 0.8 per cent in October, marking the end of the summer season for 2010.
Similarly, Gatwick Airport revealed that traffic to European markets rose by 4.2 per cent.
It attributed this growth to increased passenger volumes to the continent's largest countries, which include France, Italy, Portugal and Germany.
"The North Atlantic market grew 9.7 per cent, driven by increased passenger volumes to both Canada and the United States," said the airport.
Gatwick Airport also noted an increase of traffic to the US, which grew by 2.1 per cent year-on-year.
It also noted rises in the rate of traffic during the recent half-term break, which advanced by 2.1 per cent against the same period in 2009.
Earlier in the month, Gatwick Airport revealed it would become the first UK hub to interact with its passengers using the stickybits mobile application, which allows travellers to scan bar codes and see how the facility is changing.
New flight launched between Gatwick Airport and Morocco
Tue, 09 Nov, 2010
Holidaymakers could be tempted to head to North Africa after a new flight launches from Gatwick Airport to Morocco.
British Airways has confirmed it will run the service from the London airport to Marrakech from March 2011.
Head of UK & Ireland sales and marketing for the airline Richard Tams said that the low-cost flight will provide a "real alternative for discerning travellers".
He also noted Marrakech for being a popular tourist destination for many British holidaymakers, saying: "It's a great starting point to explore Morocco; from trekking in the Atlas Mountains to exploring its amazing deserts and beaches and soaking up the atmosphere of the many medinas."
The first flight form Gatwick Airport to Marrakech will depart on March 27th 2011 at 13:05 GMT, arriving at 15:35 local time and one-way fares start from £79.70 including taxes.
Travellers choosing to head to Morocco could use Gatwick Airport's new 192-bedroom Hampton hotel, which is due to open in time for the London 2012 Olympic Games.
Gatwick Airport announces new hotel
Thu, 21 Oct, 2010
London's Gatwick Airport has unveiled plans to add a new hotel to its range of facilities.
The airport revealed that it has contracted Shiva Hotels Limited to open and administrate a new 192-bedroom mid-market Hampton hotel.
Head of property at Gatwick Airport Emma Rees welcomed the new development, claiming it is "fantastic news" for passengers.
"[Passengers can choose] to stay in one of the existing four star hotels in the North and South Terminals or stay in this more affordable but luxury three star hotel," she said.
Ms Rees went on to say that the move was a "great example" of the new airport management's customer-focused approach to its assets.
Earlier in the year, Gatwick Airport announced plans to integrate its social media presence into its customer services operations.
Work on the project is scheduled to start in early 2011 and be ready to welcome guests in time for the London 2012 Olympic Games.
Gatwick gets the all-clear for Airbus A380
Wed, 20 Oct, 2010
London's Gatwick Airport has received the go-ahead to commercially operate the Airbus A380 aeroplane.
Crawley Borough Council granted planning permission to the airport, allowing construction to begin on six new large aircraft stands.
The double decker passenger jet is currently only available for passenger flights from London's Heathrow Airport but following the recent approval, Gatwick will step up its talks with airlines which use the aircraft.
Chief executive at Gatwick Airport Stewart Wingate welcomed the approval and told of the forthcoming improvements to facilities.
"We are pouring £1 billion into Gatwick to improve the infrastructure, modernise the airport facilities, improve customer service, bolster the rail links and drive competitive rates for airlines," he said.
Gatwick recently revealed a £53 million upgrade to its rail station facilities. Upgrades to the station include a new platform, improved passenger circulation, refurbishment of the concourse area and track and signal upgrades to improve reliability.
Gatwick Airport aims 'to maintain cost-effective security regime'
Mon, 04 Oct, 2010
Gatwick Airport has announced its intention to create a cost-effective and streamlined security system that will provide a better experience for its passengers.
The airport has appointed security specialist Human Recognition Systems (HRS) to support it as it trials a number of new security technologies and plans further upgrades to facilities.
Head of technology for Gatwick Airport Perry Hailey welcomed the move to employ HRS and noted its extensive experience in deploying cutting-edge systems at other UK airports.
"[The appointment] gives us confidence in engaging in new and innovative technology solutions to maintain a cost-effective compliant security regime and improve the customer experience," he said.
Business manager for transport at HRS Jim Slevin also welcomed the appointment and claimed it was a great opportunity for his company.
Figures recently released by Gatwick Airport indicated that it saw a record high for passenger loads in August, despite decreases in overall year-on-year traffic.
Gatwick Airport under new management
Tue, 21 Sep, 2010
Gatwick Airport has taken on new owners, moving away from its former status as one of the seven BAA group airports.
Writing for Flight News Daily, Graham Dunn reported that Gatwick was "making a point" in standing out from other London-based airports.
Chief executive for the airport Stewart Wingate expressed his delight at the high spirits of staff, claiming that the arrival of a new management team had energised workers.
"We are not just investing for the sake of investing," he said. "Its not about adding to capacity, it is about making it more contemporary."
Earlier in the month, Gatwick Airport reported a record number of seats filled on its flights during August, despite seeing a drop in the overall number of passengers travelling through its terminals.
Mr Wingate also told of plans to streamline the airport's airfield operations and highlighted the importance of improving operational efficiency as part of the ongoing improvements already underway at Gatwick.
Gatwick Airport achieves record passenger loads
Wed, 15 Sep, 2010
Gatwick Airport has reported its passenger numbers reached record levels in August, with an average of 87 per cent of seats being filled.
The airport reported that its recent gains in passenger loads matched those of international markets, which had reached 89.4 per cent.
However, it also experienced a decline in air transport movements, which fell by almost four per cent when compared with last year.
"This was driven by the full year impact of capacity consolidations to international markets, to which movements decline five per cent," the airport said in a press release.
A recent Wall Street Journal article also noted gains in passenger traffic for a number of US carriers, including Alaska Airlines, US Airways and jetBlue.
North Atlantic destinations experienced the largest decreases in passenger traffic from Gatwick Airport, with a 12.2 per cent fall when compared with the same period last year. Ireland also suffered passenger losses with a 10.4 per cent drop.
BA to launch new routes from London Gatwick Airport
Mon, 26 Oct, 2009
London Gatwick Airport is set to play host to several new routes from British Airways (BA).
The airline is launching new services this week to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic and Montego Bay in Jamaica from the airport.
It is also starting new routes from London Gatwick Airport to Innsbruck, Sharm El Sheikh and Male in the Maldives.
Mike Luddy, commercial director at the airport, said: "Gatwick Airport Limited is delighted that British Airways will bring these prestigious routes to our airport and further extend the fantastic range of destinations BA has on offer from Gatwick."
From summer 2010, BA will also be increasing the frequency of its flights from the airport to a variety of destinations in the Caribbean.
BA currently carries more than three million passengers a year from the airport.
Last week, investment fund Global Investment Partners bought London Gatwick Airport for a price of £1.5 billion.
London Gatwick Airport set to be modernised
Thu, 22 Oct, 2009
London Gatwick Airport's new owner has promised to upgrade facilities and improve performance at the site.
The sale of the UK's second busiest airport was completed on October 21st 2009 when investment fund Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) agreed to pay BAA £1.5 billion.
BAA had earlier been ordered to sell the facility by the Competition Commission, amid concerns that the Spanish-owned airport operator had too much control over the UK air transport sector.
Michael McGhee, a partner at GIP, said the new owner has big plans for London Gatwick Airport.
"We will upgrade and modernise Gatwick Airport to transform the experience for both business and leisure passengers," he explained.
Mr McGhee added that GIP, which also owns London City Airport, also intends to work with airlines in a bid to improve performance.
Trade union Unite, which represents many of those who work at London Gatwick Airport, reacted to news of the sale by requesting immediate talks with GIP on issues such as job security and pensions.
London Gatwick Airport sale agreed
Wed, 21 Oct, 2009
London Gatwick Airport is to be sold by BAA to investment fund Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) for a price of more than £1.5 billion.
BAA had been attempting to sell it since September 2008 and the money from the deal will be chiefly used to pay off some of the company's existing debt.
Colin Matthews, chief executive of BAA, said that his organisation was proud of helping to turn London Gatwick Airport into one of the world's leading airports.
"We wish Gatwick well for the future and are confident that the airport will flourish under new ownership," he said.
The deal is set to be completed by the end of December, subject to EU merger regulation clearance.
BAA has been ordered to sell off three of its UK airports, including London Gatwick Airport, by the Competition Commission.
The company is appealing against the decision in a tribunal taking place this week.
Manchester Airport and Birmingham Airport see launch of new routes
Tue, 20 Oct, 2009
Manchester Airport, Birmingham Airport and others around England are set to benefit from new routes announced by Monarch Airlines.
From this week, flights to Gran Canaria will begin to be operated from Manchester Airport, Birmingham Airport and London Gatwick Airport.
Starting tomorrow (October 21st 2009) the destination of Fuerteventura will be served with flights from London Luton Airport, London Gatwick Airport, Manchester Airport and Birmingham Airport.
Liz Savage, managing director of Monarch flights and holidays, said: "We are delighted to be expanding our network to the Canary Islands with the launch of scheduled flights to Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura.
The flights will operate in addition to our existing routes from the airline going to Tenerife and Lanzarote.
Monarch decided to launch the new services after a passenger number increase of more than 60 per cent on flights to Tenerife this September.
The amount of passengers flying to Lanzarote with the airline also increased by 12 per cent on September 2008 figures.
More than six million passengers fly with the company each year.
London Stansted Airport ownership appeal from BAA begins
Mon, 19 Oct, 2009
BAA is due to start its appeal against an order that it must sell off three of its seven UK airports, including London Stansted Airport.
It has been told it must sell London Stansted Airport, London Gatwick Airport and either Edinburgh or Glasgow Airport.
BAA will appeal against the decision that it must get rid of the airports at a Competition Appeal Tribunal, in a hearing that is expected to last for around three days.
It has already put London Gatwick Airport up for sale but has yet to finalise a deal to sell it.
The Competition Commission has ordered BAA to cut the number of airports it owns due to concerns about its market dominance.
Its order will be appealed against by the company on the grounds that the change in the economic climate has seen radical falls in passenger numbers and freight.
Last month, the company revealed it had suffered a 2.6 per cent drop in passengers compared to numbers in September 2008.
London Gatwick Airport 'to be sold by BAA'
Wed, 07 Oct, 2009
London Gatwick Airport is set to be sold by BAA in a deal believed to be worth more than £1.5 billion, according to media reports.
BAA was ordered to sell the airport, along with either London Stansted Airport or Edinburgh Airport, by the Competition Commission over concerns that it had too much control over the UK's airports.
It is believed that a consortium led by Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) is now close to buying London Gatwick Airport for around £1.5 billion after fighting off interest from a variety of other consortiums.
GIP, which was founded by Credit Suisse and General Electric, made an offer for the airport in May 2009 which was turned down, but the group has made a new bid.
BAA refused to confirm the story and told Reuters: "We remain in discussions with a number of bidders and are working towards no specific deadline and no transaction has been agreed with any party."
The company currently owns seven airports in the UK, including Britain's most popular airport London Heathrow.
New Gatwick Airport routes to be celebrated with snowball fight
Tue, 29 Sep, 2009
New flights from Gatwick Airport with Aer Lingus are to be marked with a snowball fight in London by the company.
Three hundred people will gather in Potters Field Park, near Tower Bridge, for the event on Wednesday September 30th 2009 at lunchtime.
The specially selected recruits have been awarded two return flights from Gatwick Airport for taking part in the event after they were chosen from more than 1,500 applicants.
Enda Corneille, Aer Lingus corporate affairs director, said: "What better way to celebrate our new winter sun destinations than transforming central London into a winter scene that would rival Lapland."
The event will mark the launch of the company's six new winter routes from Gatwick Airport.
From October 25th 2009 the Irish airline will be flying to Tenerife, Lanzarote, Bucharest, Warsaw, Eindhoven and Vilnius.
As well as flying to European destinations from Gatwick, Aer Lingus operates routes to Ireland from Heathrow, Birmingham Airport and Manchester Airport.
London Gatwick and Manchester Airport to benefit from Flybe sale
Fri, 25 Sep, 2009
London Gatwick and Manchester Airport are two of the airports involved in a Flybe 50 per cent off sale.
The airline has announced it will offer half price seats on selected flights on bookings made between Friday 25th and Wednesday 30th September 2009.
Only journeys taken before December 31st 2009 qualify for the offer, which is aimed at business travellers as well as people wanting a winter holiday.
Mike Rutter, Flybe's chief commercial officer, said: "With the discounted fares only on sale for five days, we advise people to book early to avoid disappointment."
Flybe flies to 13 different countries from 36 different UK airports.
The seat sale includes services to destinations such as Paris, Avignon and Frankfurt with flights leaving from UK airports including Manchester Airport, London Gatwick and Southampton Airport.
Manchester Airport was named airport of the year this week at the Travel Trade Gazette awards following an £80 million redevelopment of its two terminals.
Gatwick Airport passengers to benefit from replacement transit system
Thu, 24 Sep, 2009
Airline passengers parking at Gatwick Airport will soon benefit from a replacement inter-terminal transit system.
The transit, which has been a familiar fixture among passengers since it was installed in 1987, is being replaced as part of Gatwick's £1 billion investment programme.
Having travelled over 2.5 million miles, the existing transit will be taken out of service on September 28th 2009, with the new shuttles set to enter service in May and July 2010.
Passengers concerned about getting to the correct terminal need not worry because a replacement bus service will be in operation from the upper forecourt of both terminals.
This service will run every three minutes during the day and every six minutes during the night.
Since 1987, the car doors of the transit system have opened and closed approximately 3.8 million times, while the equivalent mileage it has travelled equates to more than 100 times around the earth or five return trips to the moon.
Earlier this month, figures from the Civil Aviation Authority revealed that more flights departed from Gatwick Airport on time between April and June than in the same period last year.
Aer Lingus to launch Vilnius flights from Gatwick Airport
Wed, 16 Sep, 2009
Irish airline Aer Lingus will introduce a new route between London Gatwick and Vilnius this autumn.
Flights to the Lithuanian capital are set to prove popular among Brits looking for a city break abroad as the city is this year's European Capital of Culture.
Enda Corneille, the carrier's corporate affairs director, explained that the appeal of Vilnius lay in its "impressive Gothic architecture".
"For the 42 million Brits who opted for a staycation this summer, these flights will bring back the excitement factor of flying abroad and waving goodbye to the daily grind," he said.
"With a bleak winter predicted, finding something to look forward to during the dark winter moments is vital."
From next month, Aer Lingus will also operate flights to Bucharest, Eindhoven, Tenerife, Lanzarote, Warsaw, Faro, Malaga, Zurich, Vienna, Munich, Dublin and Knock from London's second airport.
Aer Lingus is also intending to increase its number of flights to Heathrow Airport from Shannon from two to three a day from October 25th.
Seventh weekday London Gatwick to Jersey flight added by Flybe
Fri, 14 Aug, 2009
Domestic airline Flybe has announced that it will be adding a seventh flight to its weekday service between London Gatwick Airport and Jersey.
The additional flight to the island will be added to the schedule as of October 25th and the new roster has been arranged to be convenient to travellers, according to the company.
Speaking about the new service, Flybe's chief commercial officer Mike Rutter noted that by bolstering the company's service to Jersey it highlighted the commitment to serving the people of the island.
He said: "We remain committed to serving the island community by providing the most frequent, affordable and convenient service on this route.
"It is one we recognise as being of strategic importance and have designed a robust and convenient winter schedule featuring this seventh service to satisfy the weekday needs of our corporate passengers especially."
London Gatwick is the second largest of Britain's airports and currently services flights for some 90 airlines.
Southampton airport team conquer Three Peaks Challenge
Thu, 16 Jul, 2009
A team of firefighters from Southampton Airport are celebrating after completing the gruelling Three Peaks Challenge.
The team of eight men manages to ascend the highest peaks in the UK, which are Snowdon in Wales, Ben Nevis in Scotland and Scafel Pike in England, in just 17 hours and ten minutes.
Captain of the team, Stuart Carpenter, said: "Our goal was to achieve a time of 20 hours or below to get the gold medal, which had eluded us in previous years.
"However, with some serious training in the months leading up to the event we actually managed to get a platinum medal, and came 11th out of 112 teams."
Scaling the mountains bagged the boys £1,000 which will be fittingly co-donated to the Fire Fighters Charity and the Salisbury Hospital Burns Unit.
The ascent was also noteable for the fact that it was 14 minutes quicker than a time which was set by a group from Gatwick Airport in 2005.
Flybe is named top domestic operator at Gatwick airport
Wed, 08 Jul, 2009
Air operator Flybe carried more domestic passenger in and out of Gatwick airport than any other company in April and May.
That is according to Civil Aviation Authority statistics, reported by Flybe, which revealed that the firm carried more UK domestic passengers than any other airline.
Flybe carried 26 per cent of all domestic passengers in Britain during the two-months, which is three points higher than its nearest rival easyJet.
Mike Rutter, Flybe's chief commercial officer, said: "Just six years ago, Flybe was a distant fifth in the UK domestic market.
"It's a mark of how far we've come that, in less than a decade, we're now number one – a phenomenal achievement. We now serve 35 airports in the UK, affirming our commitment to keeping Britain on the move through these challenging economic times."
Gatwick airport is the second busiest in the UK and has won the Best UK airport at the Travel Bulletin Awards for five consecutive years.
Easyjet to fly more routes from UK airports
Thu, 02 Jul, 2009
Budget air travel operator easyJet has announced that it will fly eight new routes from airports in Britain.
The winter schedule for the airline is about to get busier when it adds new services to several popular winter sun spots.
For holidaymakers wanting to escape the doom and gloom of winter, new destinations covered by easyJet include a daily flight to Lyon from Edinburgh, and flights to Porto and Hamburg from Gatwick.
Fuerteventura will also see a new service from Liverpool and Paphos will be available from Luton.
Chief executive of the airline Andy Harrison said: "Times are tough for consumers so we are proud to offer great year-round holiday destinations for incredibly low prices," according to Travel Mole.
The bulk of the new flights will begin in early November.
Despite a difficult time for airlines last year, British Airways and easyJet have both announced new routes for their winter schedules.
EasyJet loses fight to cut Gatwick landing fees
Mon, 29 Jun, 2009
Budget airline easyJet has lost its court battle with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to reduce the increased landing fees which it allows airport operator BAA to charge at Gatwick.
The CAA raised the per passenger amount that could be charged to airlines for landing at the airport, which is the second largest in London.
The company is now said to be preparing an appeal.
The company said: "Passengers must be protected with strong airport regulation.
"If a 50 per cent increase in charges without any discernible increase in capacity is permitted at a regulated airport, what would happen if the price caps [preventing airports from charging what they want] were to be removed."
The decision to uphold the CAA decision means that travellers will continue to pay elevated fairs which could be slashed if easyJet triumph in the appeal process.
BAA is a leading airport company which owns seven sites in the UK including London Heahtrow.
Gatwick Airport launches coach service
Wed, 24 Jun, 2009
Gatwick Airport has unveiled a new coach service to link it with north Kent.
Head of sustainability at the airport Liz Trevor said that it was a step towards the goal of having 40 per cent of passengers use public transport.
Kent county council and Medway council have given their backing to the scheme, which is funded by Gatwick and operated by Excel.
It provides coaches every two hours, leaving from Chatham Docks.
Passengers can use free wifi and also have air conditioning and reclining seats.
Gatwick is the UK's second biggest airport and is the world's busiest one with a single runway.
Within its airport parking facilities, there are spaces for 33,414 vehicles.
Some 3,755 of these are for short stays.
It has two terminals and is 28 miles south of London.
There are 80 airlines operating at the airport, letting people fly to more than 200 different places.
Gatwick Airport has a workforce of about 25,000 people.
Airports could close over strike action
Mon, 15 Jun, 2009
Air travel staff are threatening to strike in a dispute over pay.
BAA told unions that it did not have enough money to give pay rises, according to the Daily Mirror.
But after union heads agreed on a pay freeze for 4,000 workers, it was discovered that a £1.3 million dividend was issued to shareholders by BAA's owner, Spanish firm Ferrovial.
A source for Unite union told the paper that it was possible workers would strike, saying they were "disgusted".
BAA said that discussions were "private and ongoing", adding that there is a "sustained difficult period" for the aviation sector.
All seven BAA airports, including Heathrow, Stansted, Gatwick and Edinburgh, could close if there is a strike.
Meanwhile, a Civil Aviation Authority report has found that airport punctuality has improved in the UK.
It said that 81 per cent of flights took off or landed on time from January to March.
During the same period in 2008, the figure was 70 per cent.
Figures drop in May for BAA
Wed, 10 Jun, 2009
UK airport operator BAA has reported a fall in its traffic for last month.
The organisation, which is responsible for seven airports and is owned by Spanish firm Grupo Ferrovial, suffered a 7.3 per cent slide in passenger numbers in May.
Stansted experienced a drop of 18.5 per cent, with the decreases for Aberdeen and Glasgow being 14.1 per cent and 11.7 per cent respectively.
Gatwick had a 6.5 per cent decline and Heathrow's was 3.9 per cent.
But Edinburgh saw a rise of 1.4 per cent.
BAA said that demand is low but the trend had not seen a significant change since December.
Travellers can make bookings for airport parking online through the BAA website.
According to the organisation, this can be a cheaper option as well as making sure an airport parking bay is available.
BAA's prices are regulated by the Civil Aviation Authority and the Competition Commission.
London Gatwick Airport gains Maldives route
Mon, 01 Jun, 2009
London Gatwick Airport passengers will be able to fly to the Maldives later this year.
British Airways has announced the launch of the new route, which will take to the skies for the first time on October 25th.
A BA service to Sharm El Sheik in Egypt from the hub will restart on the same day.
Three classes will be available on the Boeing 777 planes for both trips – World Traveller, World Traveller Plus and Club World.
Commenting on the new offering, the organisation's head of UK and Ireland sales Richard Tams predicted they will be a "real winner" with customers.
"Both [are] perfect holiday destinations, known for their great beaches and fantastic diving. We're particularly pleased to be serving a completely new destination, the Maldives and returning to Sharm El Sheikh," he added.
Tickets went onsale on Friday (May 29th) and are available from BA's website and direct phoneline.
A number of airport parking options are available at Gatwick, including long and short-stay areas.
London Gatwick Airport gains new Caribbean route
Fri, 22 May, 2009
London Gatwick Airport travellers will soon be able to fly to a couple of Dominican Republic destinations.
British Airways is launching the services to the country later this year.
Set to take off twice-weekly from October 25th, the company commented it is "reinforcing its position as the airline with more flights to the Caribbean".
Tickets for the flights go onsale today (May 22nd) through the firm's website, with fares to Montego Bay starting at £634 and Punta Cana at £559.
Head of sales at the organisation Richard Tams remarked popular demand was the key reason for the additions.
"These new routes and increased frequencies underline our commitment to the Caribbean," he said. "We now operate to 13 destinations in the [region] - more than any other UK airline."
Customers choosing to start their journey in the comfort of their cars are advised Gatwick is located between London and Brighton – it is 28 miles from each city.
There are a number of airport parking options at the hub, including long and short-stay.
London Gatwick Airport gains new Caribbean service
Fri, 08 May, 2009
London Gatwick Airport customers will be able to go to a new Caribbean destination later this year.
Virgin Atlantic is to provide the weekly route to Puerto Rico from November 7th.
The flights will fly via Antigua and will go from different times and dates depending on the month.
From their launch to March 27th 2010 the service will take to the skies from the capital's facility at 09:25 and land in San Juan at 16:05 BST.
They will operate on a Boeing 747-400 aircraft and will have a range of seating class options available.
Chief executive at the firm Steve Ridgway commented that the destination was "colourful" and "diverse".
"From the stunning beaches and tropical rainforests to the charming colonial city of San Juan, there is something for every holidaymaker," he said.
Those wishing to use airport parking facilities at the London hub are advised it is located 28 miles between London and Brighton.
London Gatwick Airport says Malaga is the top bank holiday retreat
Wed, 29 Apr, 2009
London Gatwick Airport has said that Malaga will be the most popular destination its passengers will fly to over the bank holiday weekend.
The Spanish retreat tops a list which also includes Orlando, Faro, Dublin, Allicante, Palma and Tenerife.
It expects a total of around 325,000 people to pass through its doors during the period.
Security reminders have also been issued by the facility, who has commented that if they are followed closely, passengers will be able to check in and out quicker.
Restrictions for travellers include not being able to take liquid items which are over 100ml – which need to be carried in a single, clear plastic bag which is able to be resealed.
This will need to be put on the conveyor belt for screening, the hub added.
Those wishing to take advantage of airport parking facilities can are advised it is located 28 miles south of the capital and is connected to the M23 at J9.
Its postcodes are RH6 0NP and RH6 0PJ.
London Gatwick Airport's new Guernsey flights 'bucks a trend'
Mon, 27 Apr, 2009
London Gatwick Airport's new flight to Guernsey is "bucking" the trend for airlines ending their services to the Channel Islands, according to its carrier.
Flybe is adding an additional in and outbound service to the destination from June 29th.
The new service will depart the capital's facility at 15.50 BST, with the return flight leaving Guernsey at 17.15 BST.
Fares start at £29.99 one-way, including taxes and charges.
Chief commercial officer at the firm Mike Rutter has commented that the move proves it is "committed" to improving transport links for people living in the ocean between England and France.
"[We] offer the perfect choice for leisure and business travellers alike," he said.
Mr Rutter added the services presented "affordability and flexibility".
Those wanting to take advantage of airport parking facilities at the Sussex hub are advised that it is located between London and Brighton – it is 28 miles from either city.
London's Gatwick and Heathrow Airports gain flights for "credit crunch clubbers"
Thu, 23 Apr, 2009
London's Gatwick and Heathrow airports have gained flights for "credit crunch clubbers" heading to the continent, it has been announced.
British Airways has released its summer timetable, including trips to Ibiza, Cyprus and Agia Napa.
These destinations are "affordable" options for fans of dance, hip-hop and dub-step music, according to the firm's head of UK and Ireland sales Richard Tams.
"Summer is prime time for festivals, gigs and music events around the world and Europe has much to offer penny pinched-partygoers," he commented.
The airline is has advised people wanting to travel to these destinations that British Airways also flies from the hubs in Manchester, Belfast Edinburgh, Gatwick and Newcastle upon Tyne.
Both London facilities are also easily accessible by road – people wishing to park at Gatwick should input RH6 0NP or RH6 0PJ into their satnavs to find the quickest route.
Those heading for Heathrow should add TW6 1AP, TW6 1EW and TW6 1QG to their devices.
London Gatwick airport to replace Stansted for Icelandic flights
Wed, 15 Apr, 2009
London Gatwick airport will be used for Iceland Expresses' flights from next month, it has been announced.
The airline is ceasing its daily service at Stansted on 30th April and beginning a nine-times-weekly route from the Sussex hub to Reykjavik from May 1st.
Fares of £49 one-way are available to the first 3,000 passengers who book to fly on the new service between 20th and 22nd April. They must travel between 1st and 31st May to benefit from the discount.
A holiday to north European destination might be a great choice for budget-conscious holidaymakers according to the firm's chief executive officer Matthias Imsland.
"With the weak Icelandic krona, there has never been a better time to visit," he said.
Travellers looking to park their car at Gatwick should follow signs for flight departures if they are going to the north terminal or take the route to flight arrivals if they are heading for the south terminal.
Gatwick Airport expects 1m passengers over Easter
Mon, 06 Apr, 2009
Gatwick Airport and its car parking facilities are set to welcome more than a million passengers over the school holidays.
This number of travellers is expected to pass through the facility from April 3rd to 14th and they will be able to take advantage of a wide range of services and retailers within the complex.
New outlets inside the south terminal include designer shoe shop Kurt Geiger and the fashion brand All Saints. Those who are interested in all the latest gadgets might want to browse around Dixons, which has recently opened, too.
Commercial director at the airport Mike Luddy remarked it is an exciting time to travel through Gatwick.
"We are delighted that our passengers will be able to take advantage of popular fashion lines all at airport prices, as well as being able to experience the brand new food concepts," he commented.
Last week, consumers were warned that between April 5th and May 22nd, the south terminal would be closed to traffic due to work being done as part of the £1 billion investment to improve the facilities and security measures.
BAA profits fall
Thu, 26 Feb, 2009
BAA is suffering from dropping profits as passenger numbers fall and fuel prices rise.
Stansted has seen a six per cent slump in profits, going from £476 million to £23 million.
Passenger numbers for BAA have fallen by 2.7 per cent.
Colin Matthews, chief executive, said that 2009 looks to be "challenging" and acknowledging that the economic climate is expected to affect passenger volume.
Combined, Heathrow, Stansted and Gatwick experienced a fall of 2.6 per cent, or 3.4 million fewer passengers.
But for the former, the passenger numbers declines by a relatively low 1.4 per cent.
Airport company BAA is regulated by the Competition Commission and the Civil Aviation Authority for its prices.
Owned by Ferrovial, its airports are in London, Scotland and Southampton.
Its Scottish hubs are in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen.
It states on its website that it has "a clear accountability to both public duty as well as to our passengers".
Virgin celebrates ten years of Caribbean flights
Tue, 30 Sep, 2008
Airline Virgin Atlantic is celebrating a decade of offering services to the Caribbean islands.
The carrier opened its first routes to Barbados, St Lucia and Antigua from London Gatwick Airport in September 1998.
Services to Grenada, Tobago and Cuba followed, with the most recent route being that to Kingston, which opened last year.
Virgin also launched Caribbean flights from Manchester Airport recently.
Commenting on the milestone, Julia Hendry, marketing director of the Caribbean Tourism Organisation, said: "We're grateful that Virgin Atlantic has been able to offer a wide range of schedule services and assist us to raise the profile of the Caribbean."
In related news, Virgin Atlantic passengers will soon be able to view behind the scenes footage from the new James Bond film onboard flights, thanks to the carrier being one of the picture's sponsors.
Actor Daniel Craig can be seen in Quantam of Solace travelling upper class on the airline - although whether or not he enjoyed a shaken Martini has not been revealed.
Branson 'could put in bid for London Gatwick Airport'
Tue, 02 Sep, 2008
The owner of Virgin Atlantic Richard Branson could put in a bid to buy London Gatwick airport if it was put up for sale, it has been reported.
According to the Telegraph, the billionaire may consider buying the airport, Britain's second-biggest hub, as part of a consortium.
"We are open to being courted by anyone who is interested in bidding," the newspaper quoted Mr Branson as saying.
It is thought that the bid could be up to £2 billion and the newspaper claims he has held talks with several partners, including the Dubai royal family.
The airport is not yet for sale and a final report from the Competition Commission on the UK airports industry is not expected until February 2009.
Virgin Atlantic operates long-haul routes from its main bases at London Heathrow airport and London Gatwick airport.
It also has a smaller base at Manchester airport.
Meanwhile, London Gatwick handles approximately 34 million passengers a year.
Business as usual for Ryanair
Fri, 22 Aug, 2008
Low fares airline Ryanair will be operating flights from London Stansted Airport and London Gatwick Airport as normal following the cancellation of proposed strike action.
UK Trade Union leaders have called off their threatened strike action, scheduled for Monday August 25th and Friday August 29th, a move welcomed by Ryanair.
Ryanair had last week reassured its customers that their travel plans would be unaffected by the baggage handling and check in strikes thanks to web check-in and carry on luggage services.
"We were never going to allow our passengers to have their travel plans impacted by strikes. We confirm that all Ryanair services to and from [London Stansted Airport] and [London Gatwick Airport] will operate as normal next week," Stephen McNamara of Ryanair said.
BAA noted that Airfield Services however still intends to carry out industrial action on Monday August 25th at London Stansted Airport.
Airfield Services provide the airport with some of its baggage services and contingency plans put in place will reportedly keep disruption to a minimum.
BAA chairman admits airports sell-off is likely
Mon, 18 Aug, 2008
Sir Nigel Rudd, the chairman of BAA, has said he expects the airport operator to be forced to sell one or more of its seven airports.
He told the BBC that the competition commission's forthcoming review into airport ownership is likely to recommend the sale of at least one airport in order to break BAA's monopoly.
BAA has already received expressions of interest for London Gatwick and Stansted but Sir Nigel stated that neither was up for sale at the moment.
A break-up of the company would not be a disaster, he said, but it would not serve the country's interest if there was increased competitive pressure between domestic airports.
"Heathrow does not compete with Gatwick and does not compete with Stansted or Luton or Manchester," he explained.
"It competes with Charles de Gaulle, Dubai now and [Amsterdam's] Schiphol, because these are big international hub airports."
BAA, which owns Gatwick, Heathrow, Stansted, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Southampton and Aberdeen airports, was taken over by Spanish property group Ferrovial in 2006.
Gatwick strikes confirmed
Mon, 18 Aug, 2008
London Gatwick baggage handlers and check-in staff employed by Swissport have voted to take strike action on August 25th and 29th.
The strike will affect passengers travelling with Virgin Atlantic, Monarch, Thomson Fly, First Choice, North West, Air Malta, Air Transat and Oman Air, as well as some smaller airlines.
Workers will also be balloted at Birmingham and Newcastle airports.
Airport bosses are worried that the dispute over pay and conditions is likely to spread to other UK airports in the coming weeks.
A spokesperson for airport operator BAA said Gatwick is "working closely" with the handling agent and the airlines to minimise the potential impact on passengers.
Swissport have offered a three per cent pay increase backdated to July rather than the anniversary date of April 1st.
In related news, around 1,000 Tube workers are to walk out on August 20th and September 3rd in a dispute over pay and conditions.
Mayor calls for new London airport
Wed, 13 Aug, 2008
Boris Johnson, the mayor of London, has called for a report into whether building a new international airport would help ease air traffic congestion at Heathrow and Gatwick.
The mayor said the need for a long-term solution to airport congestion in London is becoming increasingly urgent.
A new eco-friendly airport could be located in the east of London, he wrote in his Daily Telegraph column.
He expressed doubt that Heathrow's "bitterly contested" third runway will ever be built. Gatwick, meanwhile, is already "full to bursting".
With the 2012 London Olympics only fours years away, the capital has a responsibility to "sort this chaos out now", he said.
"The volume of passengers coming to London airports is a testimony to the attractions of the city and the dynamism of the British economy," Mr Johnson added.
Last month, the mayor postponed the decision as to whether London City Airport should be allowed to increase flights by 50 per cent.
Mr Johnson wants to wait until a study by the National Air Traffic Services is published.
XL 'to cut Gatwick-Knock route'
Wed, 06 Aug, 2008
UK airline XL Airways will stop flights between London Gatwick and Ireland West Airport Knock, according to reports.
The Herald newspaper said the service will cease on September 2nd because of what it describes as changing market conditions.
XL Airways is part of AX Leisure Group, which is Britain's third-biggest tour operator. It currently flies between Gatwick and Ireland six times a week.
Phil Aird-Mash, the company's chief executive officer, said XL frequently reviews it routes in order to meet the core needs of customers.
Robert Grealis, chief executive of the airport in County Mayo, told the Belfast Telegraph that the news was "disappointing" but was a sign that the aviation industry has entered a difficult period.
The carrier began flights from Gatwick to West Airport Knock last autumn and was the only airline operating the route.
XL Airways flies to dozens of destinations in Europe and Africa, and operates long-haul services to the US, Canada and the Caribbean.
Virgin launches check-in incentive
Tue, 01 Jul, 2008
Passengers flying from three of the UK's biggest airports are being encouraged to check in online.
Virgin Atlantic has launched a promotion at London Heathrow Airport, Manchester Airport and London Gatwick Airport.
Passengers who check in online for their flights between today (July 1st) and August 31st will be offered £10 reductions on selected fragrances from Virgin's inflight retail offerings.
Paul Dickinson, Virgin Atlantic's marketing director, remarked that the incentive is part of an effort to increase the number of people checking in online, which he says is much quicker.
"Online check-in is currently used by nearly a quarter of our passengers - we predict that this number will continue to increase over the coming months," he added.
Virgin operates dozens of long haul services from London and Manchester to destinations that include New York, LA, San Francisco, Cape Town, Cuba, Barbados and St Lucia.
London flight punctuality 'a mixed picture'
Wed, 18 Jun, 2008
The punctuality of scheduled flights at London's airports appears to be getting worse in some areas and better in others, according to new figures from the Civil Aviation Authority.
Between January and March 2008, only 56 per cent of flights at London Heathrow Airport were on time, compared with 65 per cent in the same period of 2007.
At London City Airport, 58 per cent of flights were on time, down 12 percentage points.
In contrast, London Luton, London Gatwick and London Stansted improved their punctuality performance in the first three months of the year when compared with 2007.
At Luton, for example, on-time performance increased by five percentage points to 76 per cent.
The Civil Aviation Authority is a public corporation, established in 1972 as an independent specialist aviation regulator.
Last month, Giovanni Bisignani, the head of the International Air Transport Association, criticised the regulator for authorising an 86 per cent hike in charges that airlines will have to pay to use Heathrow.
More Kiev flights to be launched from Gatwick
Mon, 16 Jun, 2008
Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) is adding three Gatwick to Kiev services to its flight roster, it has been announced.
Due to commence on Wednesday June 18th, the extra flights mean there are now ten opportunities every week to fly to the Ukrainian capital.
A Boeing 737 aircraft featuring economy and business class cabins will be used, with return ticket prices starting from £149.
Peter Sherman, UIA sales manager for UK & Ireland, said: "Demand for this route has shot up by 36 per cent in the last year.
"The city is becoming a popular choice for short breaks with a unique cultural offering and exciting new hotels at value for money prices."
UIA, which operates 300 scheduled flights every week, claims that passenger traffic is growing steadily by over 25 per cent each year.
Gatwick best for shortest security waiting times
Tue, 10 Jun, 2008
A new survey has found that airline passengers believe London Gatwick Airport is the best hub when it comes to security queue times.
The study of the ten busiest airports in Europe was conducted by the Airports Council International, which is the global trade body for airports.
London Gatwick Airport beat the likes of Manchester, London Heathrow, Charles De Gaulle and Madrid airports.
Andy Flower, managing director of BAA Gatwick, said: "It is a testament to the dedication and commitment of our staff at Gatwick that has resulted in this excellent feedback from passengers."
Over the past year, an additional 650 security workers have been employed by London Gatwick to help staff the extra seven security lanes.
"This time last year Gatwick came seventh out of ten for security queue times, so to be voted top today is a real achievement," Mr Flower added.
Last month, a study by flights portal Travelrobe concluded that London Gatwick Airport is the best hub in the country for car parking because of the convenience and price of its facilities.
New meet and greet parking at Gatwick Hilton
Fri, 06 Jun, 2008
Gatwick Airport parking provider Help-Me-Park has teamed up with the Gatwick Hilton Hotel to provide meet and greet parking.
The service is available to all hotel clients who book directly with the Hilton via its website or the hotel's telephone reservation team.
Sean McCarthy, director of Help-Me-Park, said: "We are dedicated to providing the Hilton Hotel with only the very best Meet and Greet parking service."
The contract means Help-Me-Park will be the only provider of meet and greet parking services at the Hilton's airport park-and-stay services.
"We believe our unique 'no waiting - money back guarantee', renowned reliability and trust complements Gatwick's premier hotel's own service ethics," added Mr McCarthy.
According to Help-Me-Park, Hilton clients can upgrade their meet and greet package by asking for the car valeting option.
The Gatwick Hilton Hotel is the only hotel linked by a covered walkway to London Gatwick Airport's south terminal.
KD avia launches new Gatwick-Russia flight
Thu, 05 Jun, 2008
Russian airline KD avia is celebrating the first anniversary of its inaugural flight into the UK by announcing a new route.
KD avia's first flight to the UK touched down at London Gatwick Airport on June 16th 2007 and the airline now operates a daily scheduled service to its hub at Kaliningrad, which connects 15 cities in Europe including Moscow and St Petersburg.
The new route is to the Russian city of Yekaterinburg, which can also be accessed via the famous Trans-Siberian Railway.
Loreta Durell, KD avia's UK sales manager, said: "Yekaterinburg is a major extra destination - particularly for tourists with its numerous museums, art galleries and famous theatres.
"However it is perhaps most famous as the place where the family of Nicholas II were executed in 1918. It is also Russia's fifth-largest city and has many business links to the UK."
Earlier this year, KD avia announced an increase in the frequency of its daily flights between London Gatwick Airport and Kaliningrad.
Gatwick the best airport for parking, says study
Thu, 22 May, 2008
A new study has concluded that London Gatwick Airport is the best hub in the country for car parking.
According to destination and flights portal Travelrobe, travellers are won over by the convenience and price of the airport's parking facilities.
Booking a parking space at the London Gatwick Airport in advance rather than at the last minute will save money, which can be better spent on other aspects of the trip.
Another option is parking away from the airport and taking a taxi directly to the terminal. A ten to 15-minute journey is recommended.
"If planning a trip this holiday season customers are urged to plan ahead and make Gatwick Airport parking part of their business or holiday package," said a spokesperson for Travelrobe.
Earlier this month Travelrobe urged customers deterred by the chaos at London Heathrow Airport's Terminal 5 to book their airport parking with companies participating in the Safer Parking Scheme.
This is a scheme set up by the Association of Chief Police Officers aimed at reducing crime in parking facilities.
BA announces JFK plan
Mon, 21 Apr, 2008
British Airways has unveiled plans to commence flying from London Gatwick Airport to New York's John F Kennedy (JFK) Airport later this year.
The new service will commence on October 27th and will operate on a daily basis.
Lynne Embleton, the airline's general manager for network planning, emphasised that the route from Gatwick was an addition to the 55 flights a week it currently operates from London Heathrow Airport to JFK.
The new service is designed to give passengers travelling between London and the Big Apple greater choice, explained Ms Embleton.
She added: "Not only do we already have an extensive schedule from Heathrow to both JFK and Newark but next year we will launch business-only flights from London City."
Figures recently published by airport operator BAA showed that passenger numbers at Gatwick were 5.7 per cent higher in the first quarter of this year than in the corresponding period in 2007 - a trend that is likely to be helped by the new service to New York.
Iceland Express unveils Gatwick plan
Wed, 16 Apr, 2008
Iceland Express has unveiled plans for a new service between London Gatwick Airport and Reykjavik.
The flights will commence on September 16th 2008 and will operate fives times a week, with seats available from £69 one way, including taxes.
Iceland Express already flies to the Icelandic capital from London Stansted Airport and the airline's marketing manager Birna Guomundsdottir insisted the new route would complement rather than replace that service.
She explained: "We have wanted to expand into Gatwick for some time and the decision by British Airways to suspend their services to Reykjavik earlier this year means that the time is now right."
The new service will be designed to appeal to business travellers, tour operators and holidaymakers, Ms Guomundsdottir added.
Gatwick's operator BAA recently announced that the airport saw a marked increase in passenger numbers in March.
More than 2.8 million travellers used the airport during the month, an increase of 8.1 per cent on the figure for March 2007.
BA reveals Gatwick plans
Thu, 27 Mar, 2008
British Airways (BA) has announced it is to commence flying to 11 new European destinations from London Gatwick Airport this summer.
The carrier's new services are aimed at the tourist market and most fly to sunshine holiday destinations.
These include the Spanish resorts of Alicante, Ibiza, Malaga and Palma, together with Gibraltar, Malta, the Greek city of Paphos, Antalya in Turkey and the Algarve's capital Faro.
In addition to the holiday hotspots, the new routes also fly to the cities of Genoa and Poznan. A new service to Tunis is also being launched.
The current BA service from London Heathrow Airport to Warsaw is to switch to London Gatwick Airport, but flights to Dallas, Houston and Algiers are to move to the capital's busiest transport hub.
Those services switching to London Heathrow Airport will use the new Terminal Five, which is scheduled to come into service on Thursday March 27th when a BA flight from Hong Kong lands.
London Gatwick Airport handles over 2m in Jan
Mon, 18 Feb, 2008
Over two million passengers passed through London Gatwick Airport in January, new figures have shown.
According to the airport, there were 2,220,032 people using the terminals during the first month of the year, a one per cent growth on January 2007's figures.
Despite a 6.7 per cent decline in the domestic market and minor decreases among North Atlantic, European charter and other long haul markets, passenger numbers were boosted by a 22.4 per cent increase in Ireland-bound travellers and 5.6 per cent rise in European scheduled traffic.
In total, 35,189,300 people passed through London Gatwick Airport in the 12 months up to the end of January, a growth of 2.9 per cent on the previous year.
Prestwick Airport handled 145,550 passengers last month, a one per cent decrease on January 2007's results.
However, the year-to-date passenger figures of 2,068,511 is an increase on the previous year's.
Hand luggage restrictions 'to be relaxed' at Gatwick
Mon, 11 Feb, 2008
Passengers on connecting flights from London Gatwick Airport may be able to take on more than one piece of hand luggage, it has been reported.
When travelling on flights connected by the north and south terminal, hand baggage restrictions may be relaxed, subject to individual carrier rules.
The news follows proposals by the government that by May 31st all UK airports will relax single bag restrictions.
"This rule [for all flights] will be relaxed in the near future when the ongoing construction project to upgrade and expand the security facilities at the airport is completed," the airport said in a statement.
Construction work is currently taking place on the northern perimeter road of London Gatwick Airport and is scheduled to take place for a further eight weeks.
Passengers flying from the north terminal are advised to factor in extra time to their journeys when driving to the airport.
BA 'looking to expand at Gatwick'
Fri, 08 Feb, 2008
British Airways (BA) is planning to expand services to long-distance destinations from London Gatwick Airport, it has been reported.
According to Bloomberg, chief executive of the firm Willie Walsh made the suggestion after stating that the airline wants to keep a number of flights at the airport.
The carrier had previously announced that three Boeing Co 777 planes would be moved to London Heathrow Airport to accommodate services to Houston and Dallas-Fort Worth.
"We see opportunities to expand at Gatwick. We're looking at how we can retain as many slots as possible," Mr Walsh is reported as saying in an interview in Brussels.
According to travelmole.co.uk, British Airways Holidays is to launch a dynamic packaging project but is refusing to reveal any details as yet.
The firm is to partner AO to manage its website and Mr Evennet, project manager, said more information would be released in the "not too distant future".
Road delays at Gatwick
Fri, 25 Jan, 2008
Passengers driving to London Gatwick Airport's North Terminal have been advised to allow extra time for their journeys in the coming weeks.
Construction work on a section of the northern perimeter road is set to begin on Monday January 28th and is scheduled to last for ten weeks
A statement from the airport advised: "During this time passengers using the Summer Special and North Terminal Flight Path long stay car parks can expect some delays to their journey."
The airport's operator BAA said the work was part of its long-term investment in upgrading Gatwick's infrastructure.
Once passengers manage to negotiate the hold-ups they may well find it difficult to find a space in the airport parking facilities unless they have booked ahead.
A recent report showed London Gatwick Airport continues to get busier and that almost 2.5 million people travelled through it in December - an increase of 2.7 per cent from the corresponding period in 2006.
March target for Gatwick
Mon, 07 Jan, 2008
London Gatwick Airport should be in a position to lift restrictions on hand luggage by March, according to its operator BAA.
Since the discovery of a suspected terrorist plot to blow up airliners using liquid explosives in August 2006, passengers travelling from UK airports have been able to take only one bag into the cabin.
The government today eased that restriction at airports which have put in place the requisite security systems, but London Gatwick Airport was not among the 22 sites able to offer passengers the chance to use two pieces on hand luggage.
However, BAA spokesman Tom Kelly told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "What we're doing at Gatwick is working with the government so that we will be in a position to lift the restriction, hopefully, by the end of March."
The engineering work involved in constructing extra security lanes is a major project, added Mr Kelly.
19 airports to lift baggage restrictions
Mon, 31 Dec, 2007
Only 19 of the country's airports have been given the green light to relax baggage restrictions next month, it has emerged.
The government announced in November that the limit of one piece of hand luggage per passenger would be lifted on January 7th 2008, providing airports could prove that security procedures had been improved to sufficient levels.
A number of important sites, including London Gatwick Airport, Leeds-Bradford Airport and Liverpool Airport, have failed to satisfy the Department for Transport that they can cope with the additional carry-on baggage.
The news means airlines that operate from several UK airports will have to decide whether to implement a number of different policies or to stick with the one-bag rule for all flights in an attempt to avoid confusion among customers.
Changes to luggage restrictions are due to come into force on the same day as the first of three planned strikes by workers at BAA's seven UK airports is scheduled to take place.
Flight treats becoming more popular
Thu, 27 Dec, 2007
Holidaymakers jetting off to favourite or fantasy locations like to treat themselves by shunning economy class seats, according to a leading airline.
While Christmas is a time for luxuries, people celebrating milestone life events like birthdays, weddings and anniversaries are more likely to splash out on business class or premium economy tickets, said Anna Knowles of Virgin Atlantic Airways.
"Christmas tends to be a time when many travel to see their friends and family around the world and on some occasions they will decide to treat themselves," she said.
She went on to suggest the airline's upper class cabin on the new Mauritius route is very popular with honeymooners.
Virgin Atlantic's cabin crew recently voted to stage two 48-hour strikes next month in a dispute about a pay offer.
The airline's services from London Heathrow Airport and London Gatwick Airport to the US, Caribbean, Asia and Australasia are likely to be badly disrupted.
Johannesburg-London Gatwick Airport flights resumed
Mon, 10 Dec, 2007
Nationwide Airlines has apologised to its customers for the "inconvenience, frustration and anxiety" caused by recent disruptions to its Johannesburg to London Gatwick Airport service.
Commenting as the long-haul flights between the South African capital and the south-eastern hub are resumed, Nationwide Airlines' chief executive officer Vernon Bricknell said that following safety checks there can be "no question-mark" over the safety and reliability of the airline.
Last week, the SA Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) reinstated the airline's Boeing 767 aircraft with its Certificate of Airworthiness, following an assessment that has taken place over the past seven days.
"The safety of our customers, staff and equipment is - and always has been - Nationwide Airlines' top priority," said Mr Bricknell.
Previously, Nationwide Airlines said "major maintenance" of the Boeing 767 was being undertaken by KLM in Amsterdam at prescribed intervals.
Throughout the assessment period, the company has maintained that it considers safety as a top priority.
London Gatwick Airport named favourite in Britain
Thu, 06 Dec, 2007
London Gatwick Airport has been chosen as Favourite British Airport in a newspaper poll, it has emerged.
Readers of the Daily and Sunday Telegraph put Gatwick at the top of their list for Britain, followed by Manchester Airport and Birmingham Airport.
Some 30,000 people voted in the Telegraph Travel Awards, which were presented at the ABTA convention in Tenerife.
Andy Flower, managing director of the winning airport, said he was "delighted" that it had been chosen as Britain's favourite.
"It is always an enormous pleasure to receive any accolade, but when it's been chosen by the people who use our terminals, it is all the more rewarding," he remarked.
According to the awards, the most popular destinations for international travelers were New Zealand, the Maldives and Australia.
Recently, the Financial Times reported that London Gatwick Airport had the worst delay record in Europe during the three months to September.
Budget airline goes Greek
Thu, 29 Nov, 2007
Budget airline easyJet has announced it is to launch a new service from London Gatwick Airport to the Greek city of Thessaloniki early next year.
The first flight on the three times a week service will take off from London Gatwick Airport on January 30th, with one-way fares available from £27.99 including taxes.
David Osborne, easyJet's UK general manager, predicted the flights to Thessaloniki, which is close to the tourist hotspot of Halkidiki, will prove popular with holidaymakers.
"Thessaloniki is the second Greek destination easyJet will offer from the UK and we expect to carry over 41,000 passengers on the route this summer," said Mr Osborne.
The low-cost carrier is also hoping to cash-in further on the Spanish holiday market by launching a new service from Newcastle Airport to Murcia next spring.
It will operate three times a week from May 17th and seats will be available from £23.99 one way including taxes.
BA unveils new holiday services
Tue, 27 Nov, 2007
British Airways (BA) has announced it is to launch 12 new short-haul services to holiday destinations from London next March.
Daily flights to the Spanish resort of Malaga from London Heathrow Airport are scheduled to commence on March 30th, the same date as seven new routes from London Gatwick Airport are due to open.
They will fly to Gibraltar, the Portuguese city of Faro, the Tunisian capital Tunis and the Spanish holiday hotspots of Alicante, Ibiza, Malaga and Palma.
All those services will operate at least once a day, apart from the five times a week flights to Tunis.
BA is also extending its operations from London City Airport through its Cityflyer subsidiary, which is to launch daily services to the Polish capital Warsaw, the Catalan city of Barcelona, the Dutch city of Amsterdam and the French resort of Nice.
The airline recently announced that it is increasing its fuel surcharge on short-haul flights to £10 per flight for all tickets booked after November 15th 2007.
Economy demand 'still strong'
Mon, 26 Nov, 2007
The market for premium economy services is growing, but not at the expense of the standard economy sector, according to a leading airline.
Anna Knowles, spokeswoman for Virgin Atlantic, said reports of a decline in demand for economy seats on long-haul flights were incorrect.
In fact, the airline, which flies to a number of transatlantic and Caribbean destinations from London Heathrow Airport, London Gatwick Airport and Manchester Airport, has noticed the opposite, said Ms Knowles.
She explained there has been a growth in capacity in the long-haul market and that the resulting fall in ticket prices has tempted more holidaymakers to travel long distances.
However, Ms Knowles added that some passengers prefer luxury to low prices.
"There is definitely a growing segment of people who are willing to pay for more space and luxury when they are travelling on their leisure trips, she explained.
As a result, the premium economy market is growing alongside the economy sector, concluded Ms Knowles.
XL confirms Knock service
Thu, 22 Nov, 2007
Low-cost airline XL has announced it is to commence flying from London Gatwick Airport to Knock in the west of Ireland next month.
The service will operate six days a week, giving holidaymakers and business travellers from London easy access to the Mayo and Galway areas.
Explaining the decision to launch the service, XL's managing director Martin Lock said: "We brought back this Gatwick-Knock route as a response to huge customer demand following other operators pulling out last year."
Much of the demand for flights to Knock comes from people who wish to visit the Roman Catholic Marian shrine in the nearby village of the same name.
The number of low-cost flights from the UK to Knock has increased in recent times after Ryanair launched a service from Bristol Airport.
It will grow still further in February next year when bmibaby commences flying on a new route from Glasgow Airport.
Gatwick continues to grow
Tue, 13 Nov, 2007
Traffic at London Gatwick Airport has risen by 4.9 per cent in the past 12 months, according to its owner.
BAA reported that more than three million passengers used the airport during October, with the numbers flying on transatlantic and other long-haul services rising dramatically.
Andy Flower, managing director of London Gatwick Airport, said he was delighted by the growth in the two sectors.
He added: "The diverse range of flights has stimulated the growth in Gatwick's passenger numbers which will reach 35 million a year by the end of 2007."
BAA, which operates a total of seven British airports, reported total UK passenger numbers of 13.2 million during October, representing a 3.5 per cent increase on the figure from the same period in 2006.
London Heathrow Airport and Edinburgh Airport experienced above average growth in traffic, but Glasgow Airport saw a 1.8 per cent dip in passenger numbers during the month.
Virgin launches Kingston service
Tue, 30 Oct, 2007
Virgin Atlantic today launched a new direct service between London Gatwick Airport and the Jamaican capital Kingston.
The route will operate on a twice-weekly basis, with departures from London on Tuesday and Saturday mornings.
Virgin now operates four flights a week from Gatwick to Jamaica, as the new service will fly alongside an existing one to the tourism hotspot of Montego Bay.
Sir Richard Branson, the airline's president, predicted the new flights would prove popular with Jamaicans who have links to the UK.
He added: "The services will also ensure that British visitors continue to have the best access to Jamaica, with thousands of tourists set to significantly boost the region's economy in the years ahead."
The move is part of Virgin's expansion of flights between the UK and luxury holiday destinations.
Last week it began operating a new twice-weekly service between London Heathrow Airport and the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius.
Gatwick urges flyers to plan ahead
Fri, 26 Oct, 2007
London Gatwick Airport has reminded its passengers they could save themselves a lot of hassle by planning ahead for their trips.
Airport officials, announcing that it was extremely busy last weekend with many people flying out to enjoy the half-term holiday, offered "three simple steps" to passengers.
These were to take one piece of hand luggage each, all liquids and gels smaller than 100ml to be placed in a clear plastic bag and once through security, everything bought can go on board.
"Passengers are also reminded that if their airline offers check-in either the day before they fly, self-service at the airport or online, they can go straight to security and then relax in the departure lounge," said the airport.
In addition, travellers may wish to book their airport parking well in advance, to minimise the stresses of what can be a tricky time trying to keep everything organised.
London Gatwick Airport was recently named as the Best UK Airport at the Travel Bulletin Awards.
Gatwick opens new travel centre
Thu, 25 Oct, 2007
Gatwick Airport has announced the details of a new travel centre which is to open at the facility.
Becoming avalable for South Terminal passengers, the new Onward Travel Centre will be opened on October 29th 2007.
The centre is part of Gatwick Airport's £850 million pledge that will be utilised over the next decade in order to keep up with the increasing demand on air passage.
Jo Astor, retail director BAA Gatwick, commented: "The centre will enable our passengers to select their onward travel choice simply, from the wide range on offer in one place."
The official added that the new travel centre has been specifically created to "put our passengers first".
Meanwhile the airport also announced that some of the £850 million would be spent on refurbishment workls to the south entrance.
London Gatwick voted UK's best airport
Fri, 12 Oct, 2007
London Gatwick has been voted the UK's best airport for the fourth year in a row.
The Travel Bulletin Awards presented the airport with the accolade this week in a ceremony that took place in London.
Simon Edwards and Mike Hardaker of the Airline Relations Team collected the award on behalf their colleagues.
Mr Hardaker said that the airport was delighted to receive the Best UK Airport honour from the travel publication.
"We are both really proud to accept this award again on behalf of the airport," he commented.
The accolade was voted for by travel agents for the weekly trade magazine, whose awards commended firms in the leisure and travel industry.
In other London Gatwick news, a new trolley coin system has been implemented at the airport.
In a bid to improve service to passengers, a one pound coin, one euro or a US 25 cent piece will be able to operate the trolley and will be refundable.
BA launches new daily service from Gatwick
Thu, 11 Oct, 2007
British Airways (BA) is to launch a new daily service from London Gatwick, it has been announced.
The airline will operate daily flights to Italian city of Genoa due to increased passenger demand to head to that particular region of the Mediterranean country.
According to BA, the success of the Mediterranean cruise industry has been behind the decision to increase flights to the area, with daily flights commencing from April 4th next year.
Commercial manager of BA for Italy and Malta Mark Moscardini said that it has a commitment to Genoa.
"BA is committed to supporting the growth of tourism in the region and we are excited to offer this route to passengers. We know our Genoa customers will appreciate the added convenience of flying direct to the city with outstanding BA service," he remarked.
He added that Italy is a very important market for the airline.
BAA announced that passenger traffic had increased over September, with London Gatwick seeing a rise of 3.9 per cent.