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British Airways covid updates: terminal and airport moves, catering cuts, cargo-only flights

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There have been a few British Airways coronavirus developments in recent days which are worth mentioning.  We didn’t rush out an article at the time as very few of you are currently flying, but it is worth being up to speed with what is going on.

British Airways pulling out of London Gatwick

British Airways has moved all flights from London Gatwick to London Heathrow Terminal 5 with immediate effect.

The move was probably inevitable when Gatwick decide to restrict its opening hours to 2pm to 10pm.  The North Terminal closed last night – easyJet had already grounded its flights – and all remaining flights are now consolidated into the South Terminal.

Officially, this is due to run until 1st May.  Unofficially, the move could last a lot longer.  If British Airways resumes a ‘full’ flight programme at relatively low levels of capacity – and it is unthinkable that all destinations will reopen to passenger traffic at the same time – then I can imagine the entire operation remaining at Heathrow.

The same goes for Virgin Atlantic, which has consolidated its few remaining services at Heathrow.

BA’s Gatwick flights will all move to Heathrow Terminal 5 because ….

British Airways pulling out of London Gatwick

British Airways has moved out of Heathrow Terminal 3

The last British Airways flights from Heathrow Terminal 3 were due to take place on Sunday.

All future services to cities including (this is not a full list) Cape Town, Miami, Las Vegas, Barcelona, Lisbon and Prague will now be from Terminal 5.

British Airways has also decided to permanently end flights to Helsinki.  This was another Terminal 3 route.  BA’s oneworld partner Finnair will now be the sole operator from Heathrow.  This is unfortunate as British Airways often ran good Club Europe deals to Helsinki for £250 or less, whilst Finnair is substantially more expensive in Business Class.

Finnair is continuing to run two daily flights between Helsinki and Heathrow during the current crisis.

Heathrow Terminal 3 forecourt

Changes to British Airways catering

If you are travelling soon, you will notice substantial changes to in-flight catering.  Basically, there isn’t any.

On short-haul, you will receive a bottle of water and a pack of pretzels in Euro Traveller.  (Buy On Board is no more.)  Hot drinks are described as available ‘on request’.  In Club Europe, you get a biscuit instead of the pretzels.

On long-haul, you will not receive anything more adventurous than a sandwich, irrespective of which class you are flying.  Passengers are being encouraged to bring their own food although, due to security restrictions and the fact that most airside restaurants are closed, this isn’t always practical.  BA will not reheat any food you bring yourself.

All special meal options are suspended.

No alcoholic drinks will be provided.

Menu cards, newspapers, magazines, ice etc have been removed from aircraft.

IAG launches cargo-only flights

IAG launches cargo-only flights

In order to keep a few aircraft busy, IAG Cargo has launched a series of new ‘cargo only’ routes.

Full details are on the IAG Cargo website here.  British Airways will be flying three to seven days per week to:

  • Atlanta
  • Dallas Fort Worth
  • Washington Dulles
  • New York JFK
  • Los Angeles
  • Chicago
  • Philadelphia
  • San Francisco
  • Toronto
  • Tel Aviv
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Category

British Airways and Avios, Finnair and Finnair Plus

Comments (106)

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

  • Will in SFO says:
    1 Apr1 April 05:03

    The SFO IAG Cargo flight has been going for a couple of weeks. Seems to be a Daily 77W though last week there were often two services a day (leaving twenty mins apart on one day) in addition to the passenger carrying 747 service.

  • Jason K says:
    1 Apr1 April 05:16

    The lack of catering is just depressing. I’m flying SFO-LHR soon, that’s a long flight.

    • J says:
      1 Apr1 April 10:02

      Best inflight meal I’ve ever had was on a Norwegian flight where I decided not to pay the meal charge. Ordered a pizza the night before and saved it to eat cold on the plane. I folded the slices up in foil, but I did regret not taking the box and putting it on it’s own tray through security!

      • Andreas says:
        1 Apr1 April 10:05

        Hmmmmm cold pizza!! 🍕

      • Harry T says:
        1 Apr1 April 13:11

        My gf did this recently when we travelled from Melbourne to Sydney in Qantas J – nothing beats the sight of someone putting a pizza box through the scanner in fast track security.

        It was from 11 Inch Pizza in Melbourne which is probably one of the best places to eat in Melbs.

      • Sue says:
        1 Apr1 April 14:07

        What flights have BA moved from Gatwick to Heathrow? Isn’t it a suspension of Gatwick flights rather than a transfer?

    • Lady London says:
      1 Apr1 April 11:22

      I would struggle with that too. At least there should b space in carryon for a snack. Since most food outlets re closed at airport and so are lounges and can’t carry liquids through the x-ray machines I hope BA are carrying enough water bottles for passengers on these long flights.

  • George says:
    1 Apr1 April 05:58

    Are we allowed to bring our own wine?

  • Jan R says:
    1 Apr1 April 06:19

    No alcoholic drinks will be provided.

    If they’re giving out bottled water, why can’t they give out bottled beer/wine etc?

    Are we allowed to open duty free if we bring it onboard, I wonder?

    • John says:
      1 Apr1 April 06:54

      Because they are trying to keep it simple and minimise interaction and alcohol costs a lot more?

      Who’s going to stop you if other passengers are seated as far away as possible and cabin crew also keep their distance?

      • tony says:
        1 Apr1 April 07:25

        Duty free shops are I believe closed (at least at LHR) too.

        So the best you might manage would be filling your liquids bag with a few miniatures that can be mixed with whatever you are able to buy airside. I read Boots & WH Smiths are still open airside.

    • @mkcol says:
      1 Apr1 April 07:57

      You are allowed to consume your own alcohol on board BA flights, however usually they need to keep hold of the bottle in the galley.

      This is how I survived my 24 hour economy flight to SYD with BA in the penultimate row.

      • Harry T says:
        1 Apr1 April 13:12

        Thoughts and prayers, that sounds awful (economy long haul AND BA).

    • David S says:
      1 Apr1 April 17:39

      Duty free definitely closed in T5.

  • Blindman says:
    1 Apr1 April 07:08

    Just got off BA 16 Syd-LHr.
    Fuel stop in Sing

    First leg 7hrs
    Water and a sarnie no alcohol.

    To get tea/coffee you had to ALL go to the galley.
    Which IMHO was stupid as you were never 2m away from anyone.

    Sing to LHR.13.5hrs
    Water + sarnie x2.

    Alcohol service and tea coffee service

    Consistent NOT.

  • Blindman says:
    1 Apr1 April 07:11

    No alcohol or duty free on either Perth or Sydeny.

    Only 4 shops open in Sydney airport, only 11 flights departing that day.

  • Blindman says:
    1 Apr1 April 07:15

    And apparently this “service” Is going to get worse.

    So no fancy food or booze in business!

    I travelled economy 36hrs on the £200 return ticket.

    • Lady London says:
      1 Apr1 April 11:24

      What state were you in when you arrived @Blindman?

      • Harry T says:
        1 Apr1 April 13:13

        Will have been Sydney (NSW).

      • Lady London says:
        1 Apr1 April 19:08

        @Harry T your answer was very witty. However what I meant was, was @Blindman even able to walk when they arrived after 36hour journey in Y?

        I did same journey aged 18 in Y for 31 hours. I was disoriented and couldn’t even understand anything anyone said to me for a week!

        • Blindman says:
          2 Apr2 April 09:30

          @LadyLondon

          Fine really.

          Snagged some extra biscuits and wine on the SING-LHR flight and about 7 hrs sleep out of the 13.5hr flight.

          Watched several films on that flight, glad I had not paid for them!

          Out at LHR in very quick time as there was minimum Q’s at Immigration!
          Got picked up by son and was home 2 hrs after landing. Did not want to go the usual router through London (Tube and train) to get home.

          Very strange there was no testing of passengers temperatures when we landed as there was at HGK when I went out. We were all allowed to go our own way.

          I like travelling business class-when I get the miles to do so- but am not so high brow as to not be able to travel economy when necessary.

    • Dawn says:
      1 Apr1 April 11:30

      On our flight with Qatar, only flight out of Melbourne to LHR last Weds we had full meal service etc. Were also allowed to buy duty free at Melbourne.

  • David S says:
    1 Apr1 April 07:30

    Also remember, once you are airside, no lounges since they have closed all of them in T5 and only WH Smith’s and Boots open, so you choice of food and drinks are pretty dire but that is better than what you get onboard. No basis for the rules since you can still do pre packaged food nicely but we got dire inedible food last week for a 9 hour trip from Cancun with no alcohol.

    • The Original David says:
      1 Apr1 April 08:01

      Why was the food “inedible” – what was wrong with it?

      I had 24 hours in a Chinese government quarantine hotel last weekend, the food definitely wasn’t tasty but I ate it!

      • David S says:
        1 Apr1 April 17:40

        It was cold and tasted of cardboard. Take your point but in my book, still inedible.

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