On Fri, 15 Jan 2021 13:18:34 +0000 (UTC), wrote:

On Fri, 15 Jan 2021 12:58:41 -0000 (UTC)
Recliner wrote:
The airline is closing all its long-haul bases and returning its 787 fleet.
The 1100 pilots and cabin crew employed at Gatwick will be laid-off. It
will retreat to its origins as a small Nordic short-haul low fare carrier:

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/1...-air-abandons-
long-haul-services-fzw956s6w?shareToken=61da473a9f7d23c10a593ab178d9f e55

So that's another big loss for Gatwick. Virgin has permanently pulled out,
and BA has moved out at least temporarily; it's not clear how many BA
flights will return, or when. Previous departures include Monarch, Thomas
Cook and Thomson (bust), and most US carriers (who moved to Heathrow).

The locals will probably be happy the 2nd runway is now consigned to the
what might have been bin, probably alongside heathrows 3rd.

Heathrow will need its third runway much sooner than Gatwick will need its second — many BA and Virgin LGW flights have
transferred to LHR, and if any other airlines permanently reduce their LHR flights, there will be ready buyers for their
valuable vacated slots.

So, once the pandemic recedes, Heathrow will get back to near 100% capacity usage pretty quickly, but Gatwick has
suffered a large permanent loss of flights.