Air Mauritius

[Brum X]

NEW ROUTE Air Mauritius - Mauritius to London Gatwick. Flights start 29 October 2023, info credit to Sean M

https://twitter.com/x/status/1636714669237837826

 

[Coathanger16]

On a roll indeed 😆

 

[juliet-fox-9]

Could this influx of long haul flights be because airlines are struggling to make a profit with Heathrow prices? A lot of these new routes seem to be more niche VFR/leisure routes. And there was another row between airlines and the CAA over Heathrow prices recently.

 

[Coathanger16]

I think, as it always is with Heathrow, its about slots.

Air India moved their "2nd tier" routes to Gatwick to allow them to add capacity on their key routes of Delhi and Mumbai.

Air China are still flying Beijing to Heathrow. Had they been able to get slots, they may have simply added flights at LHR rather than launch LGW.

Air Mauritius currently fly a less than daily service (I think its 3 or 4 weekly) from Heathrow, whereas there Gatwick service will be daily.

Can't rule out the cost angle, but usually when it comes to Heathrow/Gatwick, its either they can't get slots at Heathrow or the destination is a more leisure/VFR one.

 

[rollo]

I'm sure Coathanger16 is correct about Heathrow slots airlines have regularly used Gatwick as a fall back or stepping stone to get into Heathrow. Virgin Atlantic are a classic case over time they have gone from a major player at Gatwick to nothing having transferred operations to Heathrow as and when they could obtain slots.

 

[LBAYORKIE]

I'm sure Coathanger16 is correct about Heathrow slots airlines have regularly used Gatwick as a fall back or stepping stone to get into Heathrow. Virgin Atlantic are a classic case over time they have gone from a major player at Gatwick to nothing having transferred operations to Heathrow as and when they could obtain slots.

Gatwick works if you are in the South but if you are in the North its not easy to get to. I think MK will lose business as result of this.