BA suspends flights from Gatwick
LONDON: British Airways suspended operations at its second London hub at Gatwick airport as the airline industry enters deep hibernation to weather the impact of the coronavirus.
With just over a week to go until the Easter holidays, the IAG Sa-owned carrier is contacting customers with the news that flights are off, a spokesperson said by email. Gatwick largely serves British Airways’ leisure travelers, and some flights are still operating from its larger Heathrow hub.
The Gatwick halt mirrors moves by rivals to preserve cash. Easyjet Plc announced on Monday that it had parked all its planes, while Irish low-cost carrier Ryanair Holdings last week announced plans to ground over 90% of its fleet in coming weeks.
In France, Orly airport outside the capital will shut down at the end of the day Tuesday, with all remaining flights transferred to Paris-charles de Gaulle, where five terminals have been closed and three remain in operation, according to operator Aeroports de Paris’s website. Air FranceKLM has drastically cut back on flights, with remaining service mostly for repatriation missions for French citizens abroad.
Holidaymakers flying out of Amsterdam will now have to wait until November next year for the opening of Lelystad Airport, a second hub for the Dutch capital, due to the outbreak, according to Infrastructure Minister Cora van Nieuwenhuizen.
Meanwhile, the UK government, facing criticism over alleged lack of action to repatriate thousands of Britons stuck in India and other countries, has announced a £75 million plan to charter flights as part of a new partnership with several airlines.
UK’S f orei g n s e c r e t ary Dominic Raab said he has spoken to India’s external affairs minister S Jaishankar and foreign ministers of other countries.
Senior Labour Party MP Virendra Sharma, who last week tested positive for the coronavirus and was hospitalised, has now been discharged and is “recovering well at home”.