Gatwick chief wants to limit Heathrow departures in winter

The top official of London’s Gatwick airport has said that the government should limit flights from Heathrow in winter

Travel Insurance News - 28/01/2013

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The top official of London’s Gatwick airport has said that the government should limit flights from Heathrow in wintertime.

Gatwick chief executive Stewart Wingate said in a letter to transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin this week that by spreading out flights to London’s three main airports during December, January and February that it would prevent gridlock that he says should not happen during “small” snowstorms.

Meanwhile, officials from the Department for Transport have since said that major disruptions have largely been avoided during the current winter as a result of “lessons learned” in 2010.

Wingate’s plea follows a week in which Heathrow saw hundreds of delays despite snowfall accumulation of only about 5cm, whilst London City and Gatwick saw very few incidents.

Aviation experts said that low visibility was to blame for the disruption, which requires airports to space out flights in larger intervals. And Heathrow with running at full capacity, it simply does not have the space, whilst other airports are able to accommodate the need with little hassle.

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