British Airways Gatwick short-haul operation to fly from March

British Airways said its new Gatwick short-haul operation will begin flying in March, with the U.K. carrier putting tickets to 35 destinations on sale from Tuesday.

Flights operated by the new subsidiary—BA Euroflyer—will continue to be branded British Airways, and will operate to destinations including Ibiza, Faro in Portugal, Malaga and Tenerife in Spain and Milan Malpensa in Italy. Operations will start with three Airbus SE aircraft, with plans to ramp up to 18 planes by the end of May.

British Airways has had to overcome union opposition to its aim to resume short-haul operations at London’s Gatwick airport that have been suspended since early 2020. In October, pilots voted in favor of the new subsidiary after IAG SA-owned BA said it would scrap European operations at Gatwick if it couldn’t slash expenses. 

BA contended that a new unit that can better compete with low-cost rivals such as EasyJet Plc and Wizz Air Holdings Plc was the only way forward at the airport south of London after years of losing money. The carrier said it had already started a “significant recruitment campaign” to hire staff for the new subsidiary.