Gatwick Airport has said that it will reopen its South Terminal in March – after nearly two years of closure – to serve the increased demand this summer and beyond as international travel returns.
The announcement comes after the government eased testing requirements for those arriving into the UK significantly, with fully vaccinated passengers (two doses) and those under the age of 18 no longer needing to take pre-departure and post-arrival tests. Flights have been operating solely from the airport’s North Terminal since June 15, 2020 to save on costs, but activity will return to the South Terminal from Sunday March 27, as Gatwick expects a busy summer season.
British Airways has already announced that it will restart its short-haul services from Gatwick from March 29, with 35 new European routes added. BA’s low-cost sister airline, Vueling, will also be expanding its operations, adding five new short-haul routes and basing three aircraft at Gatwick. Wizz Air will also significantly increase its operations from the airport with 18 new routes, while easyJet has also taken up more slots and expanded its flying schedule at the airport.
Stewart Wingate, Chief Executive Officer, Gatwick Airport said: ‘After an incredibly challenging two years for the airport, our partners, local communities and the entire aviation industry, we are delighted to be reopening our South Terminal next month.
‘Following some major announcements from our airlines about significantly increased flying schedules, and from Government on removing travel restrictions and airport slot regulations, we can now look forward to once again operating a busy Gatwick this summer and beyond.’
‘It may however take time for consumer confidence to fully recover, so I urge Government to make 2022 the year when all travel restrictions are removed, including the unpopular passenger locator form and other remaining barriers to free travel,’ Wingate added.
From March 27, a number of Gatwick’s airlines will begin returning to the South Terminal. Tickets for over 30 exciting long-haul routes from Gatwick are also on sale, including New York, Tampa, Bangkok, Phuket, Mauritius, Dubai, Doha, Islamabad – and a range of cities across Canada, the Caribbean and Mexico, including Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Cancun, Antigua and Montego Bay.
Airlines who will be operating from the South Terminal include: British Airways, Vueling, Wizz, Ryanair, Norwegian, Turkish Airlines, TAP, Eastern Airways, Aurigny, Aer Lingus, Air Baltic, Airmaltia, Air Europa and Enter Air, while easyJet will operate across both South and North Terminals.
