Virgin Atlantic Announces Closure of London Gatwick Operating Base

On 5 May 2020, we announced that we would close our operating base at London Gatwick Airport as part of a major restructuring in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. With international travel restrictions severely reducing passenger demand and revenue, we needed to make substantial changes to our operations and cost base. Under the restructuring plan, we would consolidate our London flying at Heathrow while retaining our existing base at Manchester. Services previously operated from Gatwick would move to Heathrow, and we intended to retain our Gatwick take-off and landing slots to preserve the possibility of returning when demand recovered. The decision brought an end to our active operations at the airport where Virgin Atlantic had launched its first flight in June 1984. The closure formed part of a wider programme announced by Chief Executive Shai Weiss. We proposed reducing our workforce by approximately 3,150 roles, subject to consultation with employees and trade unions, and immediately retiring our seven remaining Boeing 747-400 aircraft. We also planned to simplify our fleet and reduce its size to 36 twin-engine aircraft by 2022. These were difficult decisions, particularly for colleagues and communities affected by the loss of jobs and the withdrawal from Gatwick. The restructuring was intended to reduce operating costs, preserve cash and adapt the airline to a prolonged period of lower demand. Although we retained the option of returning to Gatwick, the announcement represented a substantial change to our UK airport operations and the end of a long association with our original operating base.