COA, DAL & NWA at LHR?

I know LHR is running at around 99% capacity or there-abouts, but is it still possible for new airlines, that aren’t affiliated to any alliances, to obtain slots? Or can this only happen if an airline (for some reason) withdraws some slots. Reason I ask, is that over the past few years, several Asian/Indian/Middle East carriers have started serving LHR and how did they manage to do so?

I’m very much for a 3rd runway and further expansion at LHR, so that we (Britain) can remain to be a key player in global transport and logistics.

I don’t understand why airlines don’t stay/move to LGW.

Heathrow is more commonly known as Deathrow for frequent travellers, and it’s currently operating at traffic level of 150-175% of what it was orgionally designed for.

I know if I had the option between Gatwick and Deathrow which one I would pick!

I believe this should be what’s happening – note not all services start this Sunday… LGW details are services remaining at LGW, LHR details are new services at LHR…

Air France
LHR – once daily LAX (773)
LGW – n/a

American
LHR – additional to current ops, once daily RDU (772), twice daily DFW (763), 2nd daily LAX (772)
LGW – once daily DFW (eqv)

Continental
LHR – twice daily IAH (1×762, 1×777), twice daily EWR (1×762, 1×777)
LGW – twice daily EWR (752), once daily CLE (752), once daily IAH (764)

Delta
LHR – twice daily JFK (2×763), once daily ATL (763)
LGW – once daily JFK (752), once daily CVG (763), twice daily ATL (767)

Northwest
LHR – once daily MSP (333), once daily DTW (333), once daily SEA (332)
LGW – once daily DTW (333)

United
LHR – additional to current ops, once daily DEN (772)
LGW – n/a

US Airways
LHR – once daily PHL (333)
LGW – once daily CLT (333), once daily PHL (752)

Andy

Most of the airlines that have managed to obtain slots at LHR have done so through negotiations with their respective alliance partners, and paying a substainsal amount of money…as in multiple £millions!

As tenthije pointed out, NW and CO managed to get slots from KLM, and I believe that Delta managed to get slots from Air France.

Have not heard though if bmi are considering any services to the US from LHR, and if so whether they would use some of their slots that they already own in order to operate some of these flights. Either that, or they will have to negotiate hard with their partners within the Star Alliance.

That should be a good proportion of the NWA flights so.

Thanks Peter.

Are all flights by Continental, Delta and Northwest being switched eventually from Gatwick to Heathrow or just a selected few?

If they’re all coming over, where will each get the required slots to get in there?

Just a question that popped into my head today while reading up on T5 and further Airlines expected at LHR.

Thanks for any info on this.

I know NWA will get their slots from KLM. KLM has freed a lot of slots by moving the RTM and EIN flights to LCY. I think enough for 3 to 5 daily flights depending on the day of the week. If these flights will actually replace or augment the LGW flights I do not know.

For Delta I would assume they had some slots transferred from Air France.