BA unveils initial route network for Gatwick subsidiary

British Airways has revealed the initial destinations that will be offered by its new Gatwick subsidiary BA Euroflyer, which will launch operations in March 2022.

From today (14 December), BA has put tickets for 35 short-haul destinations on sale on its website. Flights will be operated by the main airline until Euroflyer’s Air Operators Certificate is issued.

Routes that were moved to Heathrow during the pandemic will return to Gatwick, but BA said they will also continue to be offered at Heathrow. These include Faro, Ibiza, Malaga, Marrakech and Tenerife. In addition, Euroflyer will offer new routes to Athens, Berlin, Madrid, Milan Malpensa and Santorini.

BA announced its plans to launch a standalone business to offer short-haul flights from Gatwick, similar to its CityFlyer operation at London City airport. BA had largely suspended its network from the airport during the pandemic and said the new subsidiary was needed to restructure its operations in an attempt to return to profitability.

After some struggles during negotiations with the British Airline Pilots Association, BA announced it had registered the name of the subsidiary in November.

The subsidiary will initially operate three Airbus aircraft from the end of March, ramping up to 18 planes by the end of May.

Sean Doyle, CEO of British Airways, said: “We are looking forward to bringing a short-haul network back to Gatwick, with a fantastic flying team in place to serve our customers from London’s second hub airport, which we feel sure will be a success.”

Stewart Wingate, CEO of Gatwick airport, added: “This significant news will be very welcome for many people connected to the airport. Despite the ongoing public health situation, today’s announcement is a positive signal that consumer confidence is returning as people start thinking about making travel plans for next summer.

“Given the difficult period we have all just been through, we expect BA’s new and extensive network of services from Gatwick to destinations across Europe to be in high demand and our staff, retailers, restaurants, cafes and bars are all looking forward to welcoming BA passengers back in larger numbers from April next year.”

The full roster of BA Euroflyer destinations and launch dates is as follows: