Virgin Atlantic is being tipped for a return to Gatwick Airport to protect its slots at the UK’s second airport as airline capacity starts to ramp up again.
Transatlantic flights resumed last week with strong passenger numbers and Virgin told Bloomberg it was a case of 'when not if' flights resume from the airport again.
Virgin was on the brink of bankruptcy due to the pandemic eighteen months when it halted operations from Gatwick, but with the use it -or lose it rules on slots at airports expected to be reviewed shortly, the airline is under pressure to maintain its presence.
Wizz Air, the ambitious central European focused airline, in particular, is said to be unhappy about “slot-hoarding” at the airport that it says it blocking new competition.
Virgin said: “We maintain our ambition to rebuild our presence at Gatwick as demand returns, revisiting a long, close and successful relationship with the airport.
“As travel restrictions are eased in further markets, we continue to see growing consumer confidence.”
British Airways is also under pressure over its slug of 17% of the slots at Gatwick.
Owned by IAG, BA is mulling the establishment of a new low-cost carrier at the airport though this is subject to a union agreement.
BA might even transfer slot to sister IAG airline Vueling or sub-let them to protect its position, the reports at the weekend suggested.
Gatwick said that demand for slots for next summer’s season are running at 20% above capacity.