p18 Air Jan15 13/1/10 10:14 Page 18
Air
Chris Gray
020 7921 8003
cgray@ttglive.com
For the latest news about flights, airlines and airports, visit
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Aer Lingus in
Gatwick U-turn
AER LINGUS expansion plans for
Gatwick have reversed after it
predicted weak consumer
demand for next year.
The Irish airline went head-to-
head with easyJet last year by
opening a base at Gatwick and
duplicating many of the no-frills
carrier’s leisure routes. Bahrain Grand Prix, April 2009: Gulf Air will promote Bahrain’s high-profile sporting events in 2010
But it is now cutting the number of aircraft
based at Gatwick from five to three and axing a
number of the routes it launched since starting
its expansion in spring last year.
Gulf Air cuts back
It said then it aimed to invest £100 million in
Gatwick and grow its fleet to eight aircraft. Al-
though Aer Lingus grew its market share at Gatwick
to 25%, average fares were low, cutting margins. Heathrow service
It has now changed course to cut capacity and
concentrate on improving its yields. It said the
Olivia Hemmings.
the UK because it’s an important area for us,”
three aircraft would continue to serve Malaga, BAHRAIN’S national carrier, Gulf Air, is to reduce said Majali.
Dublin and Knock, and add a new route to Cork. the number of flights it operates from the UK to Last week Gulf Air announced a new
Aer Lingus said it expected to report a small the Middle Eastern country. “upgraded” agreement with Travelport, which
operating profit for the second half of 2009, as a Chief executive officer Samer Majali said the will give all Galileo and Worldspan-connected
result of cancelling some routes in November number of daily flights from Heathrow would be agents access to a broader range of fares.
and removing one long-haul aircraft. cut from three to two, for the summer season. Majali said there was also a need for the airline
EasyJet responded by saying it would base The decision forms part of the airline’s three- to work closely with the Bahrain tourist board to
three more aircraft at Gatwick this summer, tak- year strategy (see below) to streamline the develop areas of tourism, such as culture
ing its fleet there to 43. New routes to be served business and make it commercially sustainable. tourism. The destination currently attracts
would be announced within weeks. Majali said it was dropping one of two evening mostly business travellers.
flights but would still have enough capacity to The airline plans to exploit three major
meet UK demand. sporting events taking place in Bahrain in 2010
Virgin teams up
In comparison to other European destinations to promote the country as a tourism destination:
served by Gulf Air, such as Paris and Frankfurt, the inaugural Bahrain International Airshow
with charities
the UK still generates twice the volume of in January, the V8 Supercar races in February
passengers. “We put a lot of effort and time into and the Grand Prix season opening in March.
VIRGIN ATLANTIC has unveiled its
first long-term partnerships Airline focus: Value and unique destinations
with two charities to help their are key to 2012 strategy
work in Kenya, China, India and Gulf Air has forecast an operating loss of £319
the Caribbean. million for 2009 but chief executive Samer
The three-year partnerships with Majali said he expected the restructure to
the Travel Foundation and Free the result in the airline “breaking even or being “We are not intending to compete with them
Children will raise money and encourage slightly profitable by 2012”. on all destinations, just selected destinations,”
the airline’s staff to take part in volunteering He dismissed the suggestion that the he said.
projects in the destinations. airline’s restructure could place it in a weaker “We will promote those destinations that
Projects include Virgin working with three position next to competitor airlines such as they don’t serve, such as Iraq, Iran and
villages in Kenya, China and India to develop Etihad and Emirates. Saudi Arabia.”
education, health, businesses and water supply.
18 15.01.2010
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