Why is Gatwick such a big pain in the arse to get ro

Surely that depends where you live? It’s my airport of choice.

AFAIK that's certainly correct for shorthaul.

The BA Long Haul set up is (or at least was) slghtly different in at least some areas, e.g provision of aircraft and flight crew.

BA flights from Gatwick have been operated by “BA Euro Flyer” since the pandemic. It is a subsidiary of the BA parent company, mainly to operate in competition with easyJet. BA Euro Flyer crew get paid less than their Heathrow counterparts.

What an odd thread, I’m stunned op you think Gatwick is only easy to get to if you live in Croydon, like the rest of the south east round it doesn’t exist, or don’t seem to know that ba’s major up is t5 at Heathrow.

difficulty in getting to any given airport is dependent on where you live.

and no idea why someone is going on about the trains, you ca buy an open return, and at 180 for four return, means it’s 22 quid each way per person.

You aren't wrong OP. It's a terrible journey from both Lands End AND John o'Groats.

From up North and flew out of Gatwick and into Heathrow for a trip last year. Both were on a direct train / underground from Euston / Kings Cross so made no difference to our trip.

I live North of London and can get a direct train to Gatwick.

I do not live anywhere near Croydon.

Huh? We flew into Gatwick recently. 30 minutes on Thameslink into London Bridge. Easy and cheap. What’s the whinge?!

I live in Sutton (so South London ish) and for all its faults of which there are a few, I think we’re well served in terms of airport connections.

From where I am, and depending on traffic Gatwick is 30/45 mins away.

TfL’s SL7 super loop gets us direct to Heathrow. Costs the price of a regular bus fare- think it was £1.75 when I last used it in March.

Thames link train from Sutton, can be direct to
Luton Airport Parkway

DH wants to move in the next few years. I’m a little reluctant and one of the reasons, is the travel connections that we currently have available

I far prefer to have to get to Gatwick than Heathrow. Our train line goes to Gatwick direct! Heathrow - a few weeks ago, we had to catch the Piccadilly line to our mainline terminus, through the West End at Saturday tea time. (There had been a flight delay)

The Elizabeth line was shut. The Piccadilly line was absolutely packed, with nowhere to put suitcases. We struggled to get off the train through the packed carriage, with suitcases!

I never want to fly into Heathrow ever again!

Our ideal is Luton, also on our train line, but afaik, they don’t seem to do flights to the Middle East?

Really? From my part of SW London it’s bus or train to CJ then train from there to Gatwick. Very easy!

That is basically a private jet airport for people
going to Bicester Village and a flying training school. They don’t offer any normal flights.

Yep

For a long time BA Long haul out of Gatwick has been generally aimed at what is termed the leisure market (e.g Carribbean).

I live on the Hampshire/Surrey/Sussex border. It's fine for me to get to. Heathrow is ever so slightly easier and maybe a bit quicker depending on the time of day.

stanstead and Luton would be a right pain for me so we haven't used them since we lived this way.

Also op, I think the BA flights from Gatwick tend to be to holiday destinations. Rather than EU capitals etc.

Well like other pps, it largely depends on where you are starting from.

However I hate their parking, the terminals are grim and we avoid it as much as possible. It's 1hr30 from home to Gatwick or just under an hour to Heathrow.

Heathrow is great, super fast car park buses, use the POD if in terminal 5 and BA flights.

Literally depends where you live op - what a stupid thread.

I live next to Stansted and Happen to need to fly from there loads - that’s just luck 😆😆

long haul flights I jus factor in the further airports journey / cost

whether that’s travelling day before and getting an airport hotel or giving ourselves heaps of extra time 😝

I think it’s a lot less of a stretch than “London” Oxford.

https://www.oxfordairport.co.uk/

Yep..I know getting to LHR on the Piccadilly line could be somewhat, err, sub-optimal, but OTOH the Heathrow Express has been an option for many years and the Elizabeth line has dramatically changed matters.

Thameslink is the only train line that crosses London. So those of us on the Bedford or Cambridge lines find Gatwick the easiest to get to. Despite living an hour north/northeast of London, we don't have to change trains. If I fly from Heathrow I need to change to get a tube/Elizabeth line/Heathrow express.

I live in Hertfordshire and both train and driving are easy to Gatwick so I’m not sure what the expectation is? Luton is my closest airport but it’s always gridlock and the security queues are awful.

Lol at the idea that Heathrow has poor public transport or it is hard to get to central London from Gatwick.

I live in SE London and tne Elizabeth line now means it is really easy to get to Heathrow.

I get the train from the north into Euston then walk 10 mins to St pancras and get train from there - a quick look at services and trains are every 10 mins

Depends where you live. Super easy for me!

It’s the easiest airport to get to for me!!!