BA may move Bermuda flights from Gatwick - Royal Gazette

Fiona McWhirter

Published Apr 30, 2020 at 4:45 pm (Updated Apr 30, 2020 at 7:29 pm)

British Airways plane at LF Wade International Airport (File photograph)

A tweet from the Government has signalled that the restarted British Airways service to the island could fly in and out of Heathrow airport instead of Gatwick.

The tweet came after staff at the airline were told that the company might not reopen its Gatwick operation — where the Bermuda service was based — after the coronavirus pandemic ended.

The Bermuda Government tweet said: “Expect direct air service between London @HeathrowAirport and @Bermuda once regular commercial air service resumes at LF Wade Int’l Airport.

“We look forward to continuing our 83 years of @British_Airways service to the island, a good partner even during trying times.”

The tweet came after the British Broadcasting Corporation reported a memo from the head of BA at Gatwick was sent to airline staff.

Operations at the airport, which is about 30 miles south of London, were suspended earlier this month.

The BBC said BA told workers: “As you know, we suspended our Gatwick flying schedule at the start of April and there is no certainty as to when or if these services can or will return.”

The BBC story added that, in a separate letter to aircrew, the company warned that a quarter of its 4,300 pilots were expected to lose their jobs.

BA’s letter said: “We need to ensure that our remaining operation is efficient, flexible and cost-competitive to enable us to survive in an increasingly lean and unpredictable industry.”

BA said earlier it would cut up to 12,000 jobs from its 42,000-strong workforce because of reduced business due to the impact on travel of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The BBC added that the airline has flown from Gatwick “for decades”.

A spokeswoman for BA in Bermuda and the Government’s communications department have not yet responded to a request for comment.

UPDATEThis story has been updated to include posts on the Bermuda Government’s twitter account.

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