Will VA go back to LGW

[Amy1989]

I no there transferring flights to Heathrow and keeping slots open for Gatwick but do you think they will go back?

Reason I ask I can book airport hotel next month & didnt want to book 1 then have to change

[aj2703]

Book the hotel with a flexible ticket. That way if needs be you can cancel without penalty.

Are hotels opening soon then?

[loola30]

Book it with a flexible rate. We've still got both LGW and LHR Premier Inns booked for this August!

[disney332]

Will they go back?

Nobody on the planet knows just now...

Disney332

[MickeyYay]

Unlikely within next couple of years but all will depend on demand, so best to keep bookings flexible if you are booking far out

[tim17]

I didn't think airlines could keep slots at airports beyond a certain period if they don't use them.

[WDocW]

Originally Posted by tim17

I didn't think airlines could keep slots at airports beyond a certain period if they don't use them.

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They would certainly lose the LHR slots if they didn't use them once the "normal" rules come back into play. Essentially moving the LGW operation over to LHR allows them to keep using their slots there even though they have scaled back flights to their "normal" LHR destinations.

I think if they can take advantage at LHR when things get going again and pick up a few more slots while other airlines remain scaled-back then they won't bother going back to LGW but they will be conscious that there is a very large contingent of wealthy holidaymakers for whom Gatwick is preferable so it is possible they would return but I think that is unlikely to happen for a good 2-3 years unless things bounce back quickly.

[gavvy]

it's easy to keep slots, you just run an empty flight between LGW and somewhere else. BA often run an empty flight between LHR and Cardiff to maintain a slot they will need in the future.

I think eventually If Virgin get through this they will return to Gatwick when that will be nobody knows.

[Warkman58]

Originally Posted by tim17

I didn't think airlines could keep slots at airports beyond a certain period if they don't use them.

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They can use them running ghost flights, this is done regularly.
Basically a plane uses the slot to fly up to, say Glasgow empty, but the slot is in use
Also, they are running cargo flights still

[Peko]

VS doesn’t have the fleet (and soon will not have the crew) to run slot-sitting flights on the scale required to preserve its LGW slots. I would imagine it’s relying on either a continued waiving of the 80% rule, or LGW having enough slot availability if it decides to return.