[Anonymous]

[VintageKrug]

Rumours are getting stronger about further new route expansion from London Gatwick, beyond the recent Mexican addition of Cancun.

Fort Lauderdale and Havana are both strong favourites, as well as a South East Asian option, possibly Vietnam or Thailand (Phuket). Sri Lanka, the Seychelles and Goa have also been mentioned as possible options…

This is being made possible by the new delivery 777-300ER fleet expansion at LHR which releases some 777s for LGW work.

I can see services to Kingston being affected; few tourists are choosing it as a destination given recent troubles (although the tourist areas remain largely unaffected) and so that service might continue to see reduced frequency.

Roll on the 787 deliveries in 2012 and a direct service to Hawaii.

[blondcat]

Agree on Hawaii – My dad lives in California and goes there all the time and loves it! Direct flight there would be awesome.

[CharlieBrown]

I’ve also heard that Luxor and Goa will become part of the LGW network. It appears that significant growth recently experienced by BA’s holiday arm and slot constraints at Heathrow are motivating renewed interest in expanding LGW operations.

Further rumours mention an interest in serving more South East Asian leisure destinations, with Phuket & Bali mentioned most as potential new markets.

Another rumour has it that Colombo is back on the cards. Interestingly some mentioned that also being a LGW service although I would assume LHR a more likely base.

[CharlieBrown]

That would be Colombo, Sri Lanka.

[VintageKrug]

Oops! I misread Colombia, and that is certainly not somewhere BA will be flying anytime soon.

There is something South American planned, my guess would be either Belize or something allowing the trip to Machu Picchu to be made more easily.

[PaulJennings]

I would have thought (thought not know) that new destinations in USA, Caribbean or South America would be most attractive. South East Asia is a growth market but the flights are long and the competition is fierce.

FL would serve the cruise market very nicely.

[CharlieBrown]

Well Colombo could operate from LGW. Being a premium leisure destination it would compliment BA’s expansion plans concerning leisure O&D traffic at LGW. Only a rumour I heard so you’re probably right VK.

Will WW expand in South America post merger? I assumed Iberia would concentrate on expansion there on behalf of BA. Nevertheless I’ve heard Santiago mentioned – would make sense with onward connections from Oneworld partner LAN Chile. Furthermore Chile is one of the more developed South American nations and a bright spot concerning economic development.

WW said he’s looking at 2 or 3 new North American destinations. I would guess Detroit, Minneapolis, Honolulu and Charlotte to be high on the study list.

[Munkyboi]

It certainly would be good to see an expanding network and some of the places mentioned sound good. Not sure about TBs mention of DTW and CLT though, both were previous BA route that have been dropped. Much competition from Delta (following the swallowing of NW) at MSP and DTW…. Maybe New Orleans, Winnipeg and Honolulu…?

[GoonerLondon]

Fort Lauderdale would make sense – its shortly to overtake Miami as the worlds largest cruise hub, with Royal Caribbean basing its second mega-ship there when it launches in the winter. The airport is just over the road from the terminal too, so it is gaining a reputation as the ultimate cruise airport.

Given Miami’s notorious immigration queues, and the talk of having to open a slot to a competitor following the AA/BA/IB integration sign off (not sure if that means BA might have to give up one of its daily flights) AND the fact that if your heading to Miami beach or SoBeach there is little in it – then I would happily switch from the Miami service.

[VintageKrug]

I would certainly use FLL Fort Lauderdale; it’s a great little airport which I use as often as possible in preference to the hellhole that is MIA.

Having said that, in MIA’s defence, my last arrival there late last year was super trouble free, and I was seen by an agent within two minutes of joining the queue in a special immigration area quite close to where we disembarked. So the mafia who run the airport have obviously upped their game recently.

I think the South American destination might well be served as a direct but not non-stop option, perhaps once a week. Belize gets my vote as it’s close enough to the Caribbean to make sense within the current offering.

[GoonerLondon]

Central America / South America hasn’t really worked in the past – remember San Jose? And they’ve only recently cut Caracas. Iberia on the other hand flies to most of the obvious places daily.

I guess you could argue that Belize City is an extension of the ‘fly and flop’ network though…

[ChesterSimons]

I had a conversation about this subject with collegues in Vietnam. BA is not likely to gain landing rights in Vietnam due to historic and political reasons, which is a real shame.

[Binman62]

Bali will not happen as there is to much competition and a codeshare with CX alreday in place. Use of the 2 x 747 that sit in HKG could again be considered especially now that Qantas have withdrawn the HKG MEL from lunch time. From Jan will now operate at 22.30 which seems insane to me rather than 12.15. I have always liked the noon departure to HKG/SIN and OZ. If BA took this slot it could bring back Manila.
If operating to SE Asia from LGW then KUL with onward conections to Borneo or Bali could make sense. KLM added Bali to their AMS SIN this year. Woud thin however that Thailand avoiding BKK would be strong contender.
Colombo has been on and off the BA route map more often than VK has flown….. Goa could be an option but highly seasonal.
My money would be on west rather than east. and like the sound of the option put forwrad already, especailly Belize

[VintageKrug]

These new services are further evidence of the ways in which BA sees its future strategy at LGW.

I rather hope Belize gets a look in. Will they permit canoes in the hold, I wonder?

[Author]

Posts