- easyJet to move to the North Terminal from 24 January
- British Airways and Virgin Atlantic switch terminals from 25 January
- The transition has been planned for two years – Gatwick is ready
LONDON, 2016-Dec-22 — /Travel PR News/ — Three of Gatwick’s major carriers will move terminals in January. British Airways will move to the South Terminal, Virgin Atlantic will move to the North Terminal, and easyJet, which currently operates out of both terminals, will consolidate its operation in the North Terminal.
These changes will improve the experience for passengers at Gatwick with brand new facilities including state-of-the-art technology at check-in, security and immigration as well as new bag-drop zones along with new British Airways and Virgin Atlantic lounges. It will also simplify and streamline the journey through the airport for passengers.
Gatwick’s biggest project to date involves a complex programme of work that stretches right across the airport. 84 construction activities are creating new spaces in and around the terminals, from check-in areas to crew briefing rooms and engineering bases.
The moves will be staggered over a 72 hour period, in order to ensure a seamless transition, with all three airlines operating a reduced flying programme to simplify the process. From 24 January all easyJet flights will depart from the North Terminal, while from 25 January all British Airways flights* will depart from the South Terminal and all Virgin Atlantic flights will depart from the North Terminal.
Chief Operating Officer Chris Woodroofe said:
“We are ready to deliver this major step in Gatwick’s strategic transformation programme. The moves have been meticulously planned for more than two years, with close attention given to ensuring that the airport operation and the experience of our passengers is not affected during the transition.
Relocating the airlines allows greater efficiency and positions all three carriers for growth, which in turn drives Gatwick’s growth. For our passengers, investment at every step of their journey through the terminal will be hugely beneficial.”
An important part of the airport’s readiness has been the undertaking of trials to test every element of the airlines’ operations from their new homes. 37 operational trials have probed every part of the journey, from check-in to issuing boarding cards, to labelling baggage, passing through security with automated boarding card readers, right through to the airfield, with stand capability, fuelling and catering all being tested. This has provided the airlines with confidence that Gatwick has everything ready for them to operate successfully.
Approximately 50,000 passengers will be travelling with the three airlines on the 277 flights that will be relocating across the 72-hours. 10,000 Gatwick-based staff and 100 properties around the campus are directly affected by the moves.
Gatwick is advising passengers to check their terminal before travelling.
ENDS
Notes to editors:
- * Two British Airways flights are moving before 25 January:
From 11 January 2017, BA2273 to New York will depart from South Terminal.
From 19 January 2017, BA2612 to Naples will also depart from South Terminal.
The construction programme will be 85% complete when the airlines move, with the rest deliberately scheduled for after the moves.
About Gatwick Airport
Gatwick Airport is the UK’s second largest airport and the most efficient single-runway airport in the world. It serves more than 220 destinations in 80 countries for 42 million passengers a year on short and long-haul point-to-point services. It is also a major economic driver for the South East region, generating around 21,000 on-airport jobs and a further 10,000 jobs through related activities. The airport is south of Central London with excellent public transport links, including the Gatwick Express, and is part of the Oyster contactless payment network. Gatwick Airport is owned by a group of international investment funds, of which Global Infrastructure Partners is the largest shareholder.
For further information on Gatwick Airport see www.gatwickairport.com or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Gatwick_Airport
SOURCE: Gatwick Airport Limited
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