SWISS starts Zurich - Gatwick service.

This week, Gatwick Airport and Swiss International Air Lines celebrated the inaugural flights between London Gatwick and Zurich.  The carrier will operate the service six times a week and are timed to connect to dozens of SWISS flights from its Zurich hub.  

Mark Johnston named as new as permanent Chief Operating Officer at London Gatwick

Mark Johnston has been appointed permanent Chief Operating Officer at London Gatwick Airport.  As COO Mark will play a critical leadership role at London Gatwick, focussing on delivering the safe, efficient and smooth running of day-to-day airport operations.

Mark will drive the delivery of key strategic projects such as the roll out of next generation security and aerodrome performance. He will also oversee key departments including passenger operations, security and aerodrome.

Johnston was COO of AGS Airports, the owners of Aberdeen, Glasgow and Southampton airports, where he was in post for more than three years.  Before working at AGS, he joined Glasgow Airport in 2004 after various roles working in the global semiconductor industry. He then went on to hold various positions within Glasgow Airport, including the Operations Director, before being appointed Managing Director in May 2018. Mark was appointed Chief Operating Officer of AGS Airports in November 2020.

Mark Johnston said: “I am thrilled to be joining the UK’s second busiest airport where we operate the world’s most efficient runway.

London Gatwick has exceptional people who work hard every day to deliver a personalised experience, that is easy and efficient for all.

It is an incredibly exciting time to be joining London Gatwick and I am thoroughly looking forward to getting started and meeting all the team.”

Stewart Wingate, CEO, London Gatwick, said: “Mark will join London Gatwick with a wealth of experience and a proven track record as a COO. He is ideally placed to oversee the airports operations, strategic partnerships and ensuring a great Gatwick experience for passengers.

As we continue to grow, our vision is to be the airport for everyone, whatever your journey, and we are thrilled to have Mark join us at such an exciting time for the airport.

I’d like to thank John Higgins for stepping into the role of interim Chief Operating Officer for the last 15 months and leading the operation at an extremely busy time.”

Mark Johnston will take over from John Higgins, who stepped in as interim Chief Operating Officer in January 2023 in addition to his role of Business Improvement Director at the airport.

London Gatwick is investing in its long-term future and its planning application to bring the airport’s existing Northern Runway into routine use has now entered the examination phase with the Planning Inspectorate. This low-impact plan will improve resilience, reduce delays, and provide a significant boost to the national and regional economy by supporting trade, tourism, and new jobs.   

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London Gatwick cuts its own vehicle (Scope 1) emissions by 90% after swapping diesel for Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil

Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil is a sustainable and lower-carbon option to fuel diesel vehicles  

All 300 diesel vehicles, 85% of London Gatwick’s fleet, will now be powered by HVO 

The swap to HVO is another step towards the airport’s commitment to being net zero for its own Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030 

London Gatwick has cut carbon emissions from its diesel vehicles by 90% by swapping the fuel for Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO). The switch means London Gatwick will save more than 950 tonnes of carbon emissions per annum. 

HVO is a low-carbon biofuel made from plant waste, oils and fats making it a more sustainable and lower-carbon alternative to diesel. 

All 300 diesel vehicles, 85% of London Gatwick’s fleet, are now powered by HVO until they are retired from use. They will then be replaced by electric vehicles as part of the airport’s sustainability policy, Decade of Change.  

Some of the vehicles that are now powered by HVO include all the airport’s fire engines, airside operations vehicles and snow ploughs. An extensive trial concluded that HVO had no impact on the performance of the vehicles, meaning the fire engines still have the capability to respond to callouts anywhere on the airfield within three minutes.  

Steve Kelso, Head of Engineering, at London Gatwick, said: “The implementation of Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil to power our 300 diesel vehicles is an exciting milestone for London Gatwick’s sustainability journey and a big step in our fleet transition. It is vital we invest in sustainably sourced HVO to reduce emissions in all areas as soon as possible on our journey to reach net zero for our own Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030.  

Gatwick fire service spells out special message.....

George Treadwell, a crew manager at London Gatwick's Fire and Rescue Service enlisted the help of his teammates to spell out a special message to a special passenger on an Emirates Airlines A380 jet. 

 

Under the bright lights of the airport's fire station, George and the team held huge letters spelling out a special question, just as the huge double-decked passenger jet taxied by. The meticulously planned surprise was only made possible following a massive collaboration between the fire service, other airport departments and Emirates. 

 

Air101 is happy to learn, Jen said yes.  Congrats to both and best wishes for a long and happy life together. 

Your travel planning isn’t complete without learning the language—or at least some essential phrases. Fully immerse yourself in the language, or use Phrasebook to learn travel essentials—the choice is yours!

London Gatwick proud to partner with Sussex and Surrey Institute of Technology

London Gatwick has proudly partnered with the Sussex and Surrey Institute of Technology (IoT), a collaboration between businesses and education providers to deliver technical skills and qualifications required in the region. 

By partnering with the Sussex and Surrey Institute of Technology, which launched earlier this academic year (2023-24), students will gain first-hand airport experience, network with professionals and learn about the latest technical developments across London Gatwick. 

London Gatwick has helped shape the curriculum to ensure the courses are relevant and responsive to the needs of the local economy. Specialist staff at the airport will also host masterclass sessions for students and hold mock interview sessions and feedback.   

The Institute of Technology differs from colleges and universities by bringing together businesses with a group of education providers in a collaborative partnership to support the technical skills requirements of the area they serve.  

The aim is to create a diverse and skilled pipeline of local talent which is critical to the local community and London Gatwick’s future growth.   

London Gatwick’s Cyber Security Apprentice, Malaika Khan, is also studying through the Institute of Technology. She said: “My experience at London Gatwick as a Cyber Security Apprentice has been nothing short of extraordinary. I have gained a deeper understanding of cyber security and developed a stronger passion for this dynamic field thanks to the incredible support of my team members and plenty of hands-on experience.  

“London Gatwick and the Institute of Technology has provided me with invaluable guidance and an environment of collaboration that is helping me to shape into an enthusiastic cyber professional. I'm grateful for this opportunity and excited for the continued growth ahead!” 

As part of London Gatwick’s sustainability policy, Decade of Change, the airport has committed to dedicating time to support local workforce skills initiatives. As a result, Gatwick has been involved in the design and delivery of training, with a focus on IT and cyber security.  

Nick Batchelor, Director of Information Technology, London Gatwick said: “We are delighted to be an industry partner of the Sussex and Surrey Institute of Technology, an exciting institution for the region, its learners and employers.   

London Gatwick becomes first international airport to open dedicated electric vehicle charging station - Electric Forecourt

London Gatwick has become the first international airport to open an Electric Forecourt, a dedicated electric vehicle (EV) charging station, with the new GRIDSERVE facility available for all to use from today.  

The brand-new site has 30 high-power and low-power electric vehicle chargers available via contactless payment - ideal for passengers, staff, local residents, commuters, or business fleets - alongside high-speed Wi-Fi, a lounge area, Costa Coffee, Little Fresh convenience store and an interactive EV experience area. 

All charging bays are powered by 100% net zero energy, with the fastest chargers capable of adding up to 100 miles of range in 10 minutes. Visitors can also speak to a GRIDSERVE EV Guru to gain advice on which EV may best suit their needs, and take the opportunity to test drive an EV. 

Bronwen Jones, Development Director, London Gatwick said: “We are proud to be the first international airport to open a GRIDSERVE Electric Forecourt®. The charging station has been placed in a strategic location and will be available to millions of passengers, commuters, staff, residents and businesses that pass through the area each year.   

“We are making sustainability part of everything we do here at London Gatwick and we are committed to creating a low-carbon economy by providing new infrastructure that everyone can use, so together we can reduce emissions. As we invest in our long-term, future growth additions such as GRIDSERVE are vital to London Gatwick’s ecosystem.” 

More services between Reading and Gatwick Airport as new December timetable kicks in

Great Western Railway is to double the number of direct trains between Reading and Gatwick Airport as part of its new December timetable. 

Two trains an hour will now operate to/from the airport Monday to Saturday, extending the service which currently terminates at Redhill, making a half-hourly direct service and reflecting the airport’s welcome recovery in passenger numbers. 

Services have also been slightly retimed to even out the timetable and give a regular xx24 and xx54 departure from Reading, and a xx29 and xx59 departure from Gatwick. 

GWR Station Manager for the North Downs line, Andrew Gallaugher, said: “We are really pleased to be able to further improve the services we offer to and from the airport.  

Supporting the local economy, investing in the railway and enabling more people to make sustainable transport choices is really important to us, and this is another step forward for customers of the North Downs Line.”  

Singapore Airlines to start new London Gatwick service.

One of the leading global carriers, Singapore Airlines has confirmed it will start direct flights between its home base of Singapore and London's second busiest airport - London Gatwick from next summer.

Subject to regulatory approval, flight SQ310 will operate on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. The inaugural flight will depart Singapore for Gatwick Airport at 2355hrs (local time) on 21 June 2024 and arrive in London at 0625hrs (local time) on 22 June 2024.

Singapore Airlines will deploy the long-haul variant of its Airbus A350-900 aircraft on the route which features 253 seats in three cabin classes: 42 in Business Class, 24 in Premium Economy Class, and 187 in Economy Class.

The return leg, flight SQ309, will operate from Gatwick Airport to Singapore on Mondays, Tuesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. The inaugural return flight will depart at 1015hrs (local time) on 22 June 2024 and arrive in Singapore at 0620hrs on 23 June 2024. The early morning arrival offers customers options to connect to SIA and Scoot flights to destinations across Southeast Asia, Australia, and New Zealand.

Together with its current four-times daily services to London’s Heathrow Airport, this will bring the total number of flights to the United Kingdom’s (UK) capital to 33 weekly services from today’s 28 weekly services. SIA also operates five times a week services to Manchester Airport.

Mr Dai Haoyu, Acting Senior Vice President of Marketing Planning, at Singapore Airlines, said: "London has always been a very important market for the Singapore Airlines Group. With the introduction of this new service to London’s Gatwick Airport, Singapore Airlines’ customers will have an additional flight to choose from when flying between Singapore and the UK. It also opens up additional travel options to other points in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region.”

Mr Stewart Wingate, Chief Executive Officer, London Gatwick, said: “Renowned as one of the world’s best carriers, we are delighted to welcome Singapore Airlines to London Gatwick. It showcases the high regard in which Gatwick is held, and connecting to the impressive Changi Airport is a big boost for the whole region. For passengers across London and the South East, the new route will provide huge connectivity potential, not only to the fantastic destination of Singapore, but more widely across South East Asia, Australia and New Zealand. With significant increases in trade between the UK and Singapore in recent years, the service also provides exciting opportunities for local and regional businesses.

 

Passengers arriving from Singapore will benefit from London Gatwick’s outstanding connections, with our newly redesigned train station providing direct access to the heart of London in less than 30 minutes, alongside services to world-famous cities such as Cambridge and the UK’s beautiful south coast.”

Tickets for SIA’s flights to London’s Gatwick Airport will be progressively made available for sale through the various distribution channels from tomorrow - 19 December 2023.

The announcement has been welcomed by industry professionals and travellers alike,  Kenny McNatty of a Crawley-based financial services company said,  "This is wonderful news, we have offices in both Hong Kong and Singapore,  so this new direct flight will save the trek over to Heathrow and make it so much easier to get to and from the airport." 

The airline also recently announced the strengthening of its strategic partnership with Marriott International, which provides members of Marriott Bonvoy, Marriott International’s award-winning travel programme, and KrisFlyer, the SIA Group’s lifestyle rewards programme, with more ways to maximise their benefits.

Eligible members of the two programmes may receive a status match and take advantage of an accelerated pathway to obtain a higher elite status. The expansion of this collaboration is in addition to the two-way points and miles transfer benefits for members of both programmes that was announced in January 2023, and allows them to convert their Marriott Bonvoy points into KrisFlyer miles and vice versa.

More changes to Gatwick's expansion plans

Since submitting its Northern Runway plans to the Planning Inspectorate,  London Gatwick has refined its proposal and identified three discrete changes to reduce its environmental impact even further, while also providing additional design flexibility. 

 

Before submitting these changes to the Planning Inspectorate, the airport will next week on 13 December 2023, open a consultation so that the public, landowners and other stakeholders can give their views on the proposed changes.

These views will be taken into account before the airport submits a request to amend its DCO application to the Planning Inspectorate. It will be for the Planning Inspectorate to decide if the changes can be made to the application and included in the examination.

The consultation will close at 11:59pm on 21 January 2024.

The airport proposes making the three separate changes to the Project below. Further detailed information on these changes and information on how to submit responses to the consultation will be available on the London Gatwick website once the consultation is live.

Project Change 1: Increase to the design parameters for the North Terminal International Departure Lounge proposed southern extension

Project Change 2: Reduction in the height and change in the purpose of the replacement Central Area Recycling Enclosure (CARE) facility

Project Change 3: Revision to the Surface Water Treatment Works system

London Gatwick’s application to bring its Northern Runway into routine use, alongside its Main Runway, was accepted for examination by the Planning Inspectorate on 3 August 2023.

The airport’s Northern Runway plan would create around 14,000 new jobs and inject £1 billion into the region’s economy every year from increased tourism, trade, supply-chain, and other business opportunities.

Proposed project changes to London Gatwick’s Northern Runway plan

Since submitting its Northern Runway plans to the Planning Inspectorate,  London Gatwick has refined its proposal and identified three discrete changes to reduce its environmental impact even further, while also providing additional design flexibility. 

 

Before submitting these changes to the Planning Inspectorate, the airport will next week on 13 December 2023, open a consultation so that the public, landowners and other stakeholders can give their views on the proposed changes.

These views will be taken into account before the airport submits a request to amend its DCO application to the Planning Inspectorate. It will be for the Planning Inspectorate to decide if the changes can be made to the application and included in the examination.

The consultation will close at 11:59pm on 21 January 2024.

The airport proposes making the three separate changes to the Project below. Further detailed information on these changes and information on how to submit responses to the consultation will be available on the London Gatwick website once the consultation is live.

Project Change 1: Increase to the design parameters for the North Terminal International Departure Lounge proposed southern extension

Project Change 2: Reduction in the height and change in the purpose of the replacement Central Area Recycling Enclosure (CARE) facility

Project Change 3: Revision to the Surface Water Treatment Works system

London Gatwick’s application to bring its Northern Runway into routine use, alongside its Main Runway, was accepted for examination by the Planning Inspectorate on 3 August 2023.

Gatwick hit with NATS outage

Dozens of flights and hundreds of passengers have been deleted by an Air Traffic Control system outage at one of the UK's leading airports on Saturday morning. 

Travellers were faced with delays of hours at London Gatwick Airport after the systems outage grounded flights just after 8am this morning. 

A spokesperson for the West Sussex airport confirmed "There was an outage to a local Nats system earlier this morning which has now been rectified.  Some passengers may experience delays. We apologise for any inconvenience."

WestJet restarting St John's - London Gatwick seasonal route

WestJet to restart transatlantic service between St. John's and London with a seasonal operation to London's Gatwick Airport.  The flights will operate three times weekly between May and October, creating new opportunities for St. John's business, leisure, cargo and tourism economies to thrive. 

"In service of our valued Atlantic communities, partners and guests, the WestJet Group is proud to close the critical gap in air accessibility for the province by providing non-stop connectivity to one of Europe's most popular travel hubs," said WestJet Vice-President External Affairs, Andrew Gibbons. "Today's announcement reaffirms our commitment to the city of St. John's and the surrounding region, as we deliver on our promise to bolster leisure travel and two-way tourism options in Eastern Canada."

London's calling and we're on our way! We have worked hard to re-establish a direct connection to Europe, and Newfoundland and Labrador welcomes the wide-reaching benefits – from our highly lucrative tourism industry to our business and trade markets. I extend my appreciation to WestJet for seeing the potential that exists in our province and the St. John's International Airport Authority for its dedicated air service development efforts. I look forward to seeing this route succeed," said The Honourable Dr. Andrew Furey, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador.

"Re-establishing non-stop transatlantic service from St. John's has been a strategic priority for the St. John's International Airport Authority," said Dennis Hogan, Chief Executive Officer, St. John's International Airport Authority. "This St. John's to London-Gatwick route marks a significant air access milestone and demonstrates our commitment to providing passengers with convenient access to key destinations. We look forward to continuing our valued relationship with WestJet, and sincerely appreciate the commitment to address opportunities within our market."

WestJet Route	Frequency	Start Date	End Date	Departure time (local)	Arrival time (local)
St. John's – London (Gatwick)	3x weekly	May 1, 2024	October 25, 2024	12:15 a.m.	9:00 a.m.
London (Gatwick) – St.  John's	3x weekly	May 1, 2024	October 25, 2024	11:00 a.m.	1:15 p.m.

 

Air travel guidance refreshed to give passengers more clarity on their rights

Updated guidance explains what passengers need to know about their rights and responsibilities when flying.

As millions of people are expected to travel through UK airports over the upcoming half term, the Department for Transport (DfT) has refreshed the newly named Air passenger travel guide, making it even easier for passengers to know their rights and responsibilities when they travel. 

Formerly known as the aviation passenger charter, it details what people can expect from airlines, travel agents, tour operators and airports, and what to do if things don’t go to plan.

This includes advice on what to do if flights are cancelled or delayed, if baggage goes missing, and the rights of disabled passengers, as well as guidance on how to complain if passengers feel they have been treated unfairly. 

Not only does it help passengers in these stressful situations, the travel guide also provides general advice for all aspects of your journey, such as what to expect at passport control, what you can bring through UK customs and how to manage connecting flights.

It also reminds passengers to regularly check the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FDCO) website for the latest security and safety advice before booking travel, as well as what counts as an extraordinary circumstance when compensation isn’t available.

The advice also makes clear that while security checks are changing over the coming months, they should continue to be prepared to remove electronics and small liquids from their bags when travelling by air. 

Aviation Minister Baroness Vere said: 

"Whether going on holiday, travelling for business or visiting loved ones, we all want our journeys to be smooth and without any hiccups, which is why the air passenger travel guide is so important.

Having a one-stop shop of information and advice, which is clear and concise, will help improve the overall travel experience and make sure passengers are getting what they deserve."

UK's Gatwick limits flights after illnesses cause staff shortages

Britain's second biggest airport Gatwick implemented a temporary limit on daily flights on Monday because of a shortage of staff in air traffic control caused by illnesses, including coronavirus.

The airport imposed an immediate cap of 800 flights taking off or landing a day until Sunday and said 164 flights will be cancelled because of the disruption.

London Gatwick boss Stewart Wingate apologised for the disruption and said it was "a difficult decision to take".

"The action we have taken today means our airlines can fly reliable flight programmes, which gives passengers more certainty that they will not face last-minute cancellations," Wingate said in a statement.

In a separate statement air traffic control provider NATS said around a third of staff in air traffic control were unavailable for "a variety of medical reasons including COVID," leaving it unable to manage the number of flights that were originally planned.

Reporting by Muvija M. Editing by Andrew MacAskill

London Gatwick asks for your views on its growth plans

London Gatwick’s application to bring its Northern Runway into routine use, alongside its Main Runway, was accepted for examination by the Planning Inspectorate on 03 August 2023.

From now on members of the public, including local residents and other stakeholders, have until 23:59 on 29 October 2023 to register with the Planning Inspectorate and provide a summary of their views on the airport’s application to routinely use its existing Northern Runway, alongside its Main Runway. 

Relevant Representations must be made on the Planning Inspectorate's Registration and Relevant Representation Form, which can be found on their website here.

Those who register will be submitting a ‘Relevant Representation’ to become an ‘Interested Party’. They will be kept informed of progress of the examination and will have the opportunity to provide further representations during the examination phase. 

The Planning Inspectorate provides further guidance on how to register and make a relevant representation on their website here

By investing in its long-term future, London Gatwick will also enhance the crucial economic role it plays by creating around 14,000 new jobs and injecting £1 billion into the region’s economy every year. This growth would come from increased jobs and activity on the airport site, as well as the wider benefits of tourism, trade, supply chain, and other business opportunities.

Two of the UK's major airports confirm that they have reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac)

The two busiest UK airports, London's Heathrow and Gatwick have both confirmed they have the porous reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac) which is at the centre of the school building controversy.

A spokesperson for Gatwick confirmed the airport carries out regular inspections on the Raac concrete at the airport and the last one was completed in June which did not present any concerns.  "We have a register of locations containing Raac on the airport campus, which are closely monitored through a regular comprehensive structural inspection regime."

London Heathrow said it was "assessing our estate and will continue to mitigate the risk where this material is found". Some areas of Terminal 3 have Racc and the airport's management had already put in mitigation measures to make it safe. The airport confirmed it had the means to keep it safe until "permanent solutions" were able to be introduced. A spokesperson added, "Passenger and colleague safety will always be our first priority, and we will continue to update stakeholders across the sector as our plans for permanent solutions progress."

Two London airports in the worst European flight hubs for delays this month

• Two in five (41%) of London Gatwick outgoing flights are delayed and nearly 1 in 3 (28%) of planes from London Heathrow have arrived late. 
• Almost half (49%) of flights from Frankfurt were delayed - the highest figures across the whole of Europe.
• Travel expert shares tips for navigating and keeping stress low during this turbulent summer holiday season.

London Gatwick has seen the second-highest number of delays across the whole of Europe, with over two in five outgoing flights arriving late (41%) at the beginning of August, according to data analysed by flights comparison site, FlightsFinder.

The capital also took another seat on the delays list with London Heathrow being the sixth worst on the continent as a result of almost 1 in 3 (28%) of its outward planes being held up. 

Taking the top spot overall though is Frankfurt International Airport, with a whopping half (49%) of flights delayed. 

39% of flights were delayed at Charles de Gaulle/Roissy CDG, positioning it in third place, closely followed by Paris Orly in fourth place with 38% delayed and Istanbul Airport in fifth with 33%.

Making up the eight European airports experiencing the most delays at the start of this month are Vienna Int'l and Pôle Caraïbes (PTP), both with 26% of flights delayed.

European airports aren’t the only ones tackling difficulties at the moment though. An average of 30,000 global flights are delayed every single day Forbes reveals - a staggering number considering that this is almost a third of the estimated 100,000 flights each day worldwide.

In fact, flight delays have soared to a 10-year high in 2023 according to Flight Aware. 

London Gatwick has donated more than two tonnes of toiletries sacrificed at security to a charity tackling hygiene poverty.

London Gatwick has donated more than two tonnes of toiletries and hygiene products to local communities through a partnership with charity The Crawley and Horley Hygiene Bank. 

Since the partnership began earlier this year, 2.1 tonnes of toiletries have been donated. The items include unused and unopened hygiene products such as shower gels, deodorants and shampoo, which were left behind at security by passengers.  

Diverting these products for reuse demonstrates the airport's commitment to meeting its goals and using resources more sustainably, as set out in the second Decade of Change sustainability policy. 

The Hygiene Bank brings communities and businesses together to tackle hygiene poverty by providing products to those who need a helping hand.  Through the partnership, The Hygiene Bank has been able to increase the number local community partners they support by a third.  

The products collected at London Gatwick support two local schools, three local food banks, one food club, Ten Little Toes baby bank and the Danny Gallivan Trust supporting homeless veterans.  

Through the agreement with The Hygiene Bank, Gatwick expects to donate an estimated 10 tonnes of the forecast aerosol and cosmetics, that otherwise would have been wasted, by the end of 2023.  

Through this partnership with The Hygiene Bank, Gatwick estimates 10 tonnes of aerosols and cosmetics, which would otherwise be waste, will be donated to local communities by the end of 2023.   

Lauren McDaniel, Senior Commercial Operations Manager at London Gatwick said: “At London Gatwick we are always looking for ways we can both reduce waste and support local communities. Our waste goal is to recover 100% of our operational, commercial and construction waste for beneficial use by 2030 (beneficial use is defined as repair, reuse, donation, recycling, composting, or converting to fuel).  

“This scheme demonstrates our ongoing commitment to meeting our goals and using resources more sustainably. We are investing in local programmes and partnerships that build better communities, enable social mobility, improve health and wellbeing and support people.” 

Lorraine Tippett, volunteer and coordinator at The Crawley and Horley Hygiene Bank, said: “When money is tight it is toiletries that disappear from the shopping basket first. You can imagine how your wellbeing would be affected should you not have deodorant or are unable to wash your hair or clothes. It can affect confidence and reduce time spent with friends or colleagues. London Gatwick makes a huge difference to the people who benefit from our donations. Items such as deodorant, shampoo and toothpaste are like gold dust for us and we are very grateful.” 

Ethiopian Airlines to return to London Gatwick from November.

Ethiopian Airlines has confirmed it will start a thrice-weekly service between Addis Ababa and London-Gatwick from 21st November 2023.

The carrier will fly every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday with flights departing Addis at 00:15 arriving at Gatwick at 05:15 with the return flight departing Gatwick at 10:10 and landing in Addis Ababa at 20:40.

The new service by Ethiopian will offer a direct flight between London-Gatwick and Addis Ababa onboard Airbus A350 with Business Class and Economy cabins, providing seamless connectivity to Ethiopian Airlines’ vast global networks stretched across Africa,  Far East, the Americas and Asia. 

Regarding the commencement of the flight Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Mr Mesfin  Tasew said, “We have a 50-year relation with the UK. We give high regards to our Heathrow services and now we are excited to add Gatwick to our vast global network. We are ready to stretch our reach to Gatwick and provide our renowned, award-winning services. History has it that we last served Gatwick in 2005 and 2006 using the Boeing 757. Now the route will be served by the most modern Airbus A350-900 aircraft. Over the years, we have established commendable partnerships with over 100 UK-based companies in the aviation sector. Our expansion in the UK, among others,  will enable us to nurture this cooperation and partnership to a higher level.”

Mr. Henock Woubishet, Area Manager UK & Ireland commenting on the new service said, “The UK is a strong and important market for Ethiopian. Adding London-Gatwick to our  UK schedule is truly great news as it will enable us to provide much-needed capacity not only for our passengers but also for our cargo services carried in the belly hold. Ethiopian will now serve  London Heathrow, Gatwick, and Manchester Airports.” 

Stephanie Wear, VP of Aviation Development, at London Gatwick said, “We are delighted to welcome Ethiopian Airlines back to London Gatwick this winter. As the largest carrier in Africa,  this is an excellent addition to our network and adds a valuable, direct connection to Eastern  Africa. Ethiopian Airlines is the latest in a number of carriers looking to operate long-haul routes from Gatwick, which further highlights the strong demand for slots at our airport. It’s also  fantastic news for passengers across London and the South East to have more choice and direct  services to Addis Ababa, as well as greater opportunities for onward connections across Africa,  Asia and the Middle East.” 

London Gatwick is the UK’s second-largest airport and is a vital piece of national infrastructure that helps drive both the regional and national economy. More than 40 airlines fly from the airport to over 150 short-haul and more than 45 long-haul destinations. The airport is focused on rebuilding and growing sustainably in the long term. It has ambitious plans to be a net zero airport by 2030 and increase capacity by bringing its Northern runway into routine use.  Vinci Airports owns a 50.01% stake in the airport, with Global Infrastructure Partners managing the remaining 49.99% interest. 

Jonathan Pollard, Chief Commercial Officer, London Gatwick said: “Returning to 50 long-haul routes is a milestone moment for London Gatwick. While we’re delighted to offer passengers such an expansive range of short-haul routes across Europe, we’re also proud to provide connections to an increasing range of destinations around the world. 

These services are vital not only for offering people across London and the South East an excellent choice of holiday locations, or for visiting family and friends, but also for supporting local and regional businesses. Whether that’s outbound trade or inbound tourism, growing London Gatwick’s long-haul network is crucial for economic opportunities across the region. 

We look forward to welcoming Ethiopian Airlines to London Gatwick. This is the latest in a number of carriers looking to operate long-haul routes from Gatwick, which further highlights the strong demand for slots at our airport.” 

Gatwick could be crippled by strike action later this month....

London Gatwick could be crippled by strike action later this month as around 950 workers are set to walk out over pay and conditions.

The Unite Union members that are ready to take industrial action are employed by four different companies at the Sussex airport  – ASC, Menzies Aviation, GGS and DHL Services Ltd. They are employed in various roles, including, aircraft dispatch, baggage handling, check-in, customer service,  ground handling and ramp agent. Some of the airlines that will face major disruption include British Airways, easyjet, Ryanair, Tui, WestJet and Wizz Air.

Initial strike dates run from 28th July to 1st August, the second period is scheduled for 4th August to 8th August with a longer period planned for later in August.  The union is happy to destroy the travel plans of other hard-working people by timing the industrial action at the start of the peak summer school holiday period.

Unite regional officer Dominic Rothwell said: “Strike action will inevitably cause severe delays, disruption and cancellations across Gatwick’s operations but this dispute is entirely of the companies own making. They have had every opportunity to make our members’ a fair pay offer but have chosen not to do so.”