BRITISH AIRWAYS said it is scrapping most short-haul flights at Gatwick Airport.
BA has blamed its pilots for rejecting plans to establish a low-cost airline that could compete with easyJet.
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The airline, owned by parent IAG, shifted most of its flying to its main hub at Heathrow over the last 18 months.
It said that it would only rebuild its European network at Gatwick (where easyJet is the largest airline), if it was able to make it financially profitable.
The airline could sell its many short-haul slot at the airport.
Wizz Air, a low-cost Hungarian airline, has been keen to expand its presence at Gatwick.
BA stated on Thursday that it was disappointed by the rejection of its plan for the subsidiary by BALPA, the pilots union. This would have seen British Airways branding.
A spokesperson for the airline said: “After many years of losing money on European flights from the airport, we were clear that coming out of the pandemic, we needed a plan to make Gatwick profitable and competitive.”
BALPA said despite its best efforts, it was unable to agree revised terms that were acceptable to its members.
Because long haul is still in high demand, British Airways and its rivals Air France and Lufthansa will have a slower recovery than low-cost operators.
BA said that it would only operate a limited number of domestic services at Gatwick connecting to long-haul flight connections.
“We will pursue alternative uses for the London Gatwick short-haul slots,” It stated.
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