Heathrow to Gatwick Saga: Govt rejects British Airways’ October switch decision

Government has for the third time indicated that it will reject British Airways’ unilateral decision to move the London-Accra-London flights from Heathrow to Gatwick at the end of October 2021.

Despite suspending the change in airport for the Ghana market about a month ago, the change in airport has already been effected on the airline’s online booking system.

However, British Airways is yet to communicate its October switch decision to the Ministry of Transport—which has oversight responsibility to ensure the Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) between the two countries is respected.

“They are yet to formally write to us on this new proposed October date [to switch from Heathrow to Gatwick for the London-Accra-London flights],” Transport Minister Kwaku Ofori Asiamah told AviationGhana.

Mr. K.K Appeadu, aviation consultant to the Transport Ministry and member of the Aviation Advisory Board also noted that October cannot be a confirmed date as BA and the Transport Ministry were still in discussion and there is no agreement for an October switch.

“We will engage them again on the October switch decision. This is an on-going process, nothing if finalised yet.” he told AviationGhana.

The October Heathrow to Gatwick switch decision was contained in a circular that announced suspension of the initial implementation date of March 2021.

“Last December you would have received an email advising you that your Accra booking had moved from Heathrow to London Gatwick. Due to operational reasons, our Accra services will now revert to departing /arriving from London Heathrow until end of October. We apologise for any disruption or confusion this may cause,” the circular noted.

Background

About a month ago, British Airways announced that effective March 28, 2021, its London-Accra-London flights will operate out of Gatwick Airport instead of Heathrow.

The Aviation Ministry, which was not notified of the decision, then called for a meeting with the airline to discuss the issue and to make clear their decision to object to such a change coming on the back of what the Ministry described as similar unilateral decisions taken by the airline in the past which were unfavourable to Ghanaian passengers.

The Ministry of Aviation in a press release issued on Tuesday, Jan 19, 2021 said the: “The Ministry in a letter to the BA Authorities, rejected the changes and categorically informed British Airways that ‘for the avoidance of doubt, we are unable to accept the change in the London-Accra-London flights originating from Gatwick Airport.’”

Ghana’s Aviation Ministry on January 20, 2021, received a letter from BA dated January 14 seeking to explain the rationale behind the business decision.

However, the Ministry of Aviation rejected the explanation and demanded BA reverses the decision. BA then temporarily suspended the switch from Heathrow to Gatwick in March.

BA later sent out a circular that indicated that the switch will happen in October.