[Andrew66]

On seeing this thread I asked my wife if she knew about this as she is a GAL employee , and she did know and it is well known around the airport staff .
Virgin were unhappy to move due to their limo service , but now can share the new access to the NT with Emirates , ( don’t they also codeshare ?)
BA had apparently made a 43 point list of why they were unhappy to move and compromises obviously have been made ?
The NT is due for a lot of redevelopment over the next year so it would a good to finalise plans and more cost effective .
At the moment the NT is busier than the south in terms of passengers , so it will be interesting to see what airlines swap terminals , will thomson leave the north .?
I’m led to believe that VS and BA will never share the same terminal
As Simon says EZY want to operate from one terminal only and that BA are no longer the major player .

[openfly]

Although Easy want to centralise their growing operation in the North Terminal, it has been established that they are restricted to 67 flights from the North. As of summer 2016, they are planning 74 flights, so, yes, those extra 7 will have to operate from the South Terminal. But, it seems that the passengers for the extra flights will check-in at the North and be bussed to the South Terminal stands….if GAL agree.

[GrahamSmith]

BA has confirmed the move to Business Traveller:

http://www.businesstraveller.com/news/101216/ba-to-move-to-gatwicks-south-terminal

[Andrew66]

BA move confirmed to GAL staff also via their briefing sheet

[AnthonyDunn]

I seem to recall that someone previewed this last year.

As parts of LGW(N) currently resemble a building site – on the basis of recent experiences of being bussed from air jetty stands is anything to go by – to move to a terminal that’s already been smartened up will be an improvement. I will be very interested to see who picks up the tab for EZY’s collocation in a single-terminal.

As BA’s F lounge is a total non-event, whatever replaces it has to be an improvement. Otherwise the LGW Terraces is one of the most agreeable lounges I’ve been in. Not quite the Wing but very comfortable all the same.

Beyond that, after the drastic ex-LGW route cuts post-200[8], it is the case that BA is once again (albeit cautiously) expanding its short-haul holiday route network across Europe and north Africa as well as maintaining its long-haul (holiday) routes to the Caribbean, SE United States and to the Indian Ocean. With the old 737’s finally being pensioned off, I would hazard a guess that BA has turned a corner down in Sussex.

[MrMichael]

AnthonyDunn, I think your dead right. BA have announced a number of new seasonal destinations (from LGW) to Europe that are clearly aimed at the holidaymaker and not business traveller. I also understand they are snaffling up second hand A320’s at quite a rate.

[Andrew66]

Mr M , they have 10 ” new” A320 going in over the year , I think 3 are there already , they are regd G-GAL*
I’m down to go one one to ACE in June , on our flight last year the plane was full and CE about 20 pax

[rferguson]

I think they’ve managed to cram more passengers onto the LGW aircraft also. The front row of Club Europe is literally facing the crew sat on the jumpseat at door 1. I believe no forward wardrobe or bulkhead.

[Andrew66]

They have 171 layout , on booking my seats I could only book row 2 ( only silver) and it was a 319 , but I happened to check my seats recently and me& wife have 2 DF ( bulkhead seats ) and my sister and partner have 2AC with row 1 ahead , if I’m honest I’m really pleased with our selection , as its easier to look/ talk across than keep turning round . Row 1 might have more legroom , but I want to relax on the flight not have a galley show going on in front of me !! My CE flights from LGW have always been enjoyable with pleasant service ( nearly typed peasant then ) lol

[openfly]

Rferguson….correct! Horrific….

I’m coming back from AGP at the weekend, on a very old, reconditioned, second hand A320 Looked at the seating in Club and 1A/C are beside the galley in the doorway! Obviously 1D/F don’t exist.

What a difference to flying on Easy/Molliejet with brand new aircraft!

BA really know how to kill the Club Europe product. They have had lots of practice. It’s bad enough with 30″ seat pitch….Now to have to listen to the galley noise. They might save more money by not having a divider!

I noticed recently when I sat in economy in the rear of the LGW A319 that there is more legroom in that area, than in Club Europe!!

[andystock]

BA and VS both fly out of LHR T3

[SwissExPat]

I hope the new BA facilities will include an arrivals lounge.

The arrivals offering by BA to its J/F PAX compared to its LHR facilities is a disgrace.

At the moment, I downgrade to Y+ on the inward leg and then pay £60-£70 for a day bed in the Hilton/Hampton on arrival.

What a saving !

[AnthonyDunn]

@ SwissExPat – 20/01/2015 12:02 GMT

There was a somewhat heated BT discussion on the occasion of the closure of BA’s LGW Arrivals Lounge in the Sofitel hotel opposite – and what it foretold, with speculation that it was a prelude to a total BA withdrawal from LGW.

Either way, the Arrivals lounge closure was presumably a part of the overall programme of economies at LGW that has turned around the viability of BA’s operation there. Unless BA is planning on a serious increase in long-haul (leisure-oriented) services that would justify the restoration of such a facility, I rather doubt that there will be a new Arrivals lounge once the game of musical chairs has ended in November 2016. I dare say that in the eyes of the all-important BA bean-counters, the pax throughput and fares structure do not currently justify such a facility.

[openfly]

BA seems to have had its demands agreed to by GAL. But, there is a lot of apprehension that the change of terminals for all participants will not happen until spring 2017.

BA is having just one Galleries Lounge, no First. This could be because the plans are to withdraw First on its flights, due to the nature of the holiday destinations. All makes sense. So, Gatwick Golds will just have to get used to the reduced facilities at BA Gatwick….even more inferior to Its big brother up the way!!

No arrivals lounge.

[KarlMarx]

BA hasn’t had a consistent approach at Gatwick for the past few years, we had the ‘upselling’ campaign (upgrade to BA), followed by the happy lemon and the stinky trainers, then hand baggage only fares and the elimination of the arrivals lounge.

Looking at what you get, pound for pound, I usually buy easyJet for leisure and can’t see that changing, it will be good to have a single terminal for check-in, though.

[Author]

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