Heathrow puts long-haul challenge to Gatwick
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The UK’s biggest airport, Heathrow, is today submitting evidence to Howard Davies’ Airports Commission, casting doubt on the credentials of Gatwick’s long-haul strategy.
According to Heathrow, the recent decision by Air China to pull out of Gatwick, is part of a trend where carriers have failed to make money on long-haul routes from the airport.
Other carriers to have cancelled services include Korean Air, Garuda, American Airlines, US Airways, Delta, Qatar Airways and Oman Air.
In total 21 airlines have withdrawn all flights from Gatwick since 2008.
Heathrow Chief Executive Colin Matthews said: “There is no need for a crystal ball to test Gatwick’s claims that it can provide long-haul flights when we have the hard evidence of ten years of failure. While Heathrow has been full, airline after airline has tried without success to make long-haul flights from Gatwick work. Gatwick doesn’t have a flight to New York, one of the world’s most important business and financial centres, so it’s not surprising it can’t support routes to the less popular and more distant destinations that will be critical to future trade.
“Gatwick’s proposal to prevent Heathrow expanding, while adding a new runway at its own airport, endangers Britain’s future competitiveness. It is a zero-hub solution that will lead to an irreversible decline in Britain’s international connections. Only a hub airport with the scale to compete internationally can provide the long-haul flights the UK needs.”
A statement from Heathrow went on to say that the hub was not against expansion at Gatwick, as long as it was completed alongside the growth of Heathrow.
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