British Airways plans to ramp up its BA Euroflyer operations from London Gatwick Airport (LGW), according to a report by Aviation Week. The news comes as the British flag carrier seeks to remain competitive at the airport dominated by low-cost carriers such as easyJet, Vueling, and Wizz Air, among others.

Expanding short-haul service

At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, British Airways suspended its service and even warned that the flights from its secondary hub at Gatwick may not return. However, short-haul service resumed in 2022 under the airline's new short-haul subsidiary, called BA Euroflyer.

Despite facing competition from low-cost carriers on a significant portion of its network, British Airways is betting on BA Euroflyer's streamlined network map to improve its previously weaker performance at Gatwick.

Currently, BA Euroflyer currently offers services to over 40 scheduled and seasonal destinations across Europe, including Amsterdam (AMS), Geneva (GVA), Santorini (JTR), and Salzburg (SLZ).

In December 2022, the carrier received its Air Operator's Certificate (AOC) and operating licenses from the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), allowing it to branch out operations from British Airways. Although technically a stand-alone airline, BA Euroflyer retains British Airways' standards and branding.

Fleet expansion plans

BA Euroflyer has 18 aircraft in its fleet at an average age of 18.6 years, according to Planespotters.net. The fleet comprises 12 Airbus A320-200s and six Airbus A321-200 jets. The carrier intends to bolster its fleet, as it would allow the airline to increase its short-haul service from LGW airport and support British Airways' existing capacity from London Heathrow (LHR) and London City (LCY).

During an analysts' call held after the release of the first-half financial results of its parent company, International Airlines Group, British Airways' CEO, Sean Doyle, announced that BA Euroflyer plans to expand its fleet at Gatwick by an additional eight aircraft:

"At Gatwick, EuroFlyer is up and running at a fairly significant scale. We have set up a separate airline operating certificate (AOC), and we're operating 18 aircraft there to summer. Our plan would be to get that up to about 26."

As of now, British Airways boasts a fleet of 287 aircraft, according to data from Planespotters.net. This diverse fleet primarily consists of Airbus-manufactured planes, including 89 A320s, 30 A319s, 21 A321s, 15 A350s, and 12 A380s. Additionally, the airline operates a significant number of Boeing aircraft, comprising 59 Boeing 777s and 37 Boeing 787 Dreamliners. In terms of its regional jet fleet, British Airways operates a total of 20 Embraer ERJ-190s and four Dornier 328s.