Delta, in partnership with Virgin Atlantic, announced plans to serve London Gatwick from New York and Boston. Is this really about pursuing two lucrative new routes or is it about discouraging JetBlue from the same routes?
Like One Mile at a Time, I’m quite suspicious of Delta’s motives. The service will start in 2020, making the announcement unusually premature. Furthermore, no specifics have been announced…no start date, no schedule, nothing.
It is just too much of a coincidence that these new routes announcements come days before JetBlue is expected to announce it will begin service to London. Thus, It is likely that this announcement is intended to intimidate JetBlue.
Not that it will stop JetBlue…Quite the contrary, it will probably embolden it.
> Read More: Now I Am Convinced JetBlue Is Starting Service To London…
In Delta’s press release about the news, Delta’s Vice President — Trans-Atlantic, Roberto Ioriatti, states:
Delta once again shows that we are able to connect Boston and New York to the world through an unmatched global network paired with our award-winning service, industry-leading reliability, and an enhanced customer experience both in the air and on the ground. These new services will offer even more ways for our customers on both sides of the Atlantic to experience the products and services that set Delta and its partners apart while traveling to the destinations they value most.
Let’s read between the lines. “Unmatched global network” is the biggest difference between JetBlue and Delta. You can bet on Delta using this difference to make the case it offers the better alternative to London.
CONCLUSION
Even if Delta starts offering reasonable one-way fares in business class, something it will surely resist, people are still going to flock to JetBlue. But Delta will likely have a more private business class seat for most premium passengers on the 767-400 and can certainly force JetBlue to compete more aggressively than JetBlue planned in all cabins. That’s good news for consumers, especially traveling in economy class.
And for those who don’t like London Gatwick, I think it’s a perfectly fine airport and in some cases a better alternative to Heathrow. Using Southern or the Gatwick Express between the airport and Central London (Victoria station) makes it an easy airport to reach.
> Read More: Gatwick Express From Central London To LGW
Delta: Just because we can spell integrity doesn’t mean we should show it.
I would love to see Jet Blue offer some innovation and competition on the North Atlantic routes. The complacency of the big operators and their mediocre or below offers need a good shake up.
From the US the weakness will be no connections at LGW unless they do a deal with EasyJet which would put them in a strong position but from the UK it’s an absolute win heading to the US.
Although LHR is my home airport I would be willing to go to LGW to use Jet Blue if they open up services and that’s something I very rarely do but Jet Blue is an innovator I would want to support.
Since when are these new routes?
So, like 10 years after Delta and ex-Northwest left Gatwick for Heathrow they are returning. Gatwick works for leisure passengers who don’t need to be in central London and it works for Britons who live in the Southeast and Southwest of England. But it isn’t really practical for business travelers. Plus, the reduced flight frequency at Gatwick for Delta means it may not be ideal in the case of weather, IROPs and the like. At least there are almost hourly Delta and Virgin Atlantic flights out of Heathrow if something goes wrong. I can’t imagine there would be more than 1 or 2 flights per day in and out of Gatwick. Speaking of which, I don’t think Delta has said whether it will actually fly this or whether Virgin Atlantic will fly it for them. Virgin Atlantic probably makes more sense.
PLEASE ADD AN EMAIL SUBSCRIPTION OPTION LIKE EVERY OTHER BOARDING AREA BLOG.
until DL is willing to post ACTUAL flight schedules for LGW, i’ll treat this same way i treat their Mumbai “announcement” – all talk, no action.
JB is already working on Mint Version 2 which will improve upon the already awesome Mint seats. Theres an idea running around of having the new seats sit slanted slightly, facing the windows and making them all singles instead of alternating the single double single layout currently flying. Pretty confident this may be part of the announcement tomorrow as well but we’ll see. For London news, tune in tomorrow 😉
Yup that’s what Delta is doing when i was on Delta the FA would always say sorry for the wait imagine if it was JetBlue or don’t worry this isn’t JetBlue so my belief is that they are trying to run JB out of business