NEWS: Terminal 4 to reopen, BA returns to Gatwick, but no BA Euroflyer yet, BA lease flights update

Terminal 4 to reopen

Part of the issue with Terminal 5 at the moment is the fact that the terminal has more airlines using it than pre-covid while trying to ramp traffic up to much higher levels. Qatar is one of those airlines and would have previously departed from Terminal 4. It has been revealed that Heathrow are working on reopening Terminal 4 in June this year. Qatar Airways, along with most of the airlines previously based there, are expected to move back. This will start to ease some of the pressure on T5 hopefully. The terminal is expected to reopen around 7-14 June. Hopefully, we can expect tubes to start stopping here too which will make accessing the onsite T4 hotels so much easier too. 

HT: To Fly, to Travel

British Airways return to Gatwick South Terminal

After two years British Airways returns to international short-haul flying from Gatwick Airport today Tuesday 29 March, as its first service departed for Larnaca at 6:25am.

As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic the airline suspended its European operation at Gatwick Airport, moving a number of flights over to Heathrow. Today marks a milestone in the airline’s recovery as it finally returns to international short-haul flying from the airport.
Initially, services will operate under the British Airways Air Operators Certificate (AOC), before moving operations to a new British Airways branded subsidiary, BA Euroflyer later in the year. The aircraft and airline will still be branded as British Airways though, exactly the same as CityFlyer flights. The new airline will also operate in a similar manner to the company’s existing subsidiary BA Cityflyer, delivering a premium British Airways product.

On the first day of operation, British Airways will operate four short-haul flights to Larnaca, Amsterdam, Paphos and Tenerife. Eventually, customers will have the choice of 35 destinations to fly to from Gatwick, before more destinations are added later this year.

When flying on the airline’s new subsidiary you will receive the same level of service you’d expect of British Airways now as well as all the usual the benefits of travelling with BA including baggage allowance, free water and snacks, free seat selection at -24 hours and frequent flyer benefits which include lounge access. All of the airline’s services will have a Club Europe (business class) cabin setting it apart from its no frills competitors. Customers flying in this cabin will have access to a premium check-in experience, exclusive lounges and a complimentary gourmet meal and bar service on board. All the same as now. I plan to try out this service once it launches to see how it is.

The return of European short-haul flying from Gatwick comes a day after the airline returned to its home at Gatwick South Terminal following its reopening. BA also has a new dedicated World Traveller Plus check-in zone which is available for customers flying on a long-haul service with the airline. The new zone which sits alongside the airline’s Club World desks gives those travelling in its World Traveller Plus cabin (premium economy) an exclusive check-in experience. They will shortly be rolled out at Heathrow, followed by the rest of the British Airways network.

Here are the routes that will fly from Gatwick:

Both First and Club lounges should be open as follows:

British Airways Iberia Express Charters

As I wrote about in this article, oneworld airlines are having to wet-lease aircraft to cover the loss in crew (and early aircraft retirements/late deliveries etc).

It has now been revealed which BA routes will have Iberia Express aircraft from Gatwick. It should make very little difference to your overall experience as the Club cabin will be the same with a spare middle seat (no console table) and catering will be supplied by BA as normal. Business-class from row 2 onwards has a seat pitch of 30.0″, the same as BA. They do however have aircraft that are equipped with an IFE system that streams music and films to your own device. In economy, the seat pitch is one inch less than BA with 29″ versus 30″. The seats are the Recaro slimline ones that BA has on its neos and don’t recline. Overall there is little difference apart from marginally less legroom in economy and a non-reclining seat. 

The routes that it will operate on are:

• Cagliari,
• Madrid,
• Mahon,
• Malta,
• Seville,
• Venice
• Verona.

It will also operate SOME flights to:

• Bordeaux
• Dubrovnik,
• Faro,
• Malaga,
• Malta,
• Marrakech
• Nice

If you already booked with BA, they should notify you if you are flying a different airline. If you are booking on ba.com it’s pretty obvious where you come to select flights. It looks like one of my flights is on Iberia Express, so of course, I’ll be writing a full report!

HT: London Air Travel