For many years there has been no air link between London Gatwick and Paris. Previously BA flew from Gatwick into Paris CDG and before then there was a regular service by B.Cal (which was absorbed in the BA group) into CDG.
Now Easyjet is restarting the route with x 2 flights a day from the end of March next year.
It might seem strange that Easyjet should want to compete with Eurostar (whose frequent services from London St Pancras take around 2 hours) but the point is that London and the Southeast covers a huge area. And for a good number of passengers it will be easier to use Gatwick, rather than trek all the way to St Pancras.
One drawback though are the timings. They are geared more to Paris- than London-originating travellers.
When Eurostar moved its London terminus from Waterloo to St Pancras a lot of travellers living south of London complained about the inconvenience.
It will be interesting to see how this new Easyjet route fares.
http://www.businesstraveller.com/new...h-gatwick-to-paris-cdg-next-summer
Moderators: richierich, ua900, PanAm_DC10, hOMSaR
RE: Easyjet To Start Gatwick-Paris In Summer '14
Also launching Gatwick-Newcastle, Jersey and Brest I believe
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- gabrielchew
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RE: Easyjet To Start Gatwick-Paris In Summer '14
| Quoting LondonCity (Thread starter): One drawback though are the timings. They are geared more to Paris- than London-originating travellers. |
Yeah, those times aren't really set up for business people. They're ok if you don't mind an overnight though.
Still, i've flown LTN-CDG twice, both times the flights were full as both times easyJet were much cheaper than Eurostar - plenty of non-EU tourists onboard. Eurostar is, however, a far far more plesant travel option, and much faster city to city. I'd say the plane takes at least twice as long, as well as being a lot more antisocial in terms of transfers/security/baggage allowances etc.
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- LondonCity
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RE: Easyjet To Start Gatwick-Paris In Summer '14
| Quoting gabrielchew (Reply 2): Yeah, those times aren't really set up for business people. They're ok if you don't mind an overnight though. |
Not for UK-originating biz travellers, I agree. But a biz traveller coming in from Paris has a long working day at his/her disposal so won't have to fork out for a costly London hotel room. Also if meetings etc finish early then I believe LGW is a more pleasant place to wait than is St Pancras.
Also remember that not everyone lives and works in Central London. What if you reside or work on the South Coast ? From Brighton, for example, LGW is far closer than St Pancras.
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- skipness1E
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RE: Easyjet To Start Gatwick-Paris In Summer '14
Blimey LGW-Paris returns! I don't mean to be cheeky but EZY must be nearing the limit of routes that will work for them out of Gatters. There is a limited number of good yielding routes I would say, and turning to NCL and CDG *may*, and I say *may* as they're good in this market, be a sign that they've got their A list covered and are poking around what's left.
Mind you if anyone can do it, EZY can.
Mind you if anyone can do it, EZY can.
RE: Easyjet To Start Gatwick-Paris In Summer '14
EDI to Herakilon and Bodrum and GLA to Split and Kos also announced for 2014.
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- kevinkevin
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RE: Easyjet To Start Gatwick-Paris In Summer '14
I think it will be successful. Easyjet may take some pax from LHR who fly to CDG.
RE: Easyjet To Start Gatwick-Paris In Summer '14
So from S14, LGW is getting direct service back to New York and Paris... I guess it is not bad, at least from a marketing perspective.
I was reading the other day though that the Eurostar service reached record passenger numbers last year (and a hefty increase). Considering the European and London economy are not doing bad, you can expect an increase in passengers in SE England - Paris trips for this summer... higher prices... then easyJet might be price-competitive. I think the schedules work well for London-based tourists though.
Otherwise, I cannot imagine how it might work. I have lived in both cities, and I know quite a few people who travel back and forth Paris and London (some of them in a weekly basis), and I don't know a single person who has ever considered using a plane (I guess there are some because of the CityJet services). Even I have "tried" to fly to London from here but seriously it is not worth the hassle of waste of time, considering how convenient the Eurostar is.
[Edited 2013-10-23 12:12:02]
| Quoting skipness1E (Reply 4): There is a limited number of good yielding routes I would say, and turning to NCL and CDG *may*, and I say *may* as they're good in this market, be a sign that they've got their A list covered and are poking around what's left. |
I was reading the other day though that the Eurostar service reached record passenger numbers last year (and a hefty increase). Considering the European and London economy are not doing bad, you can expect an increase in passengers in SE England - Paris trips for this summer... higher prices... then easyJet might be price-competitive. I think the schedules work well for London-based tourists though.
Otherwise, I cannot imagine how it might work. I have lived in both cities, and I know quite a few people who travel back and forth Paris and London (some of them in a weekly basis), and I don't know a single person who has ever considered using a plane (I guess there are some because of the CityJet services). Even I have "tried" to fly to London from here but seriously it is not worth the hassle of waste of time, considering how convenient the Eurostar is.
[Edited 2013-10-23 12:12:02]
RE: Easyjet To Start Gatwick-Paris In Summer '14
If only U2 offered connections they could fill the flights even more easily with connections on both ends.
RE: Easyjet To Start Gatwick-Paris In Summer '14
The timings ex-LGW are not so useful for business travellers as they are ex-CDG. Can't do a day return.
I still feel LGW - MAN would have a better service for business travellers.
I still feel LGW - MAN would have a better service for business travellers.
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- skipness1E
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RE: Easyjet To Start Gatwick-Paris In Summer '14
It's all very well filling flights with connections but EZY would have to add substantially to their cost base to put the necessary support mechanisms in place. NCL is a surprise, however the loads on the 10 or so times I flew with BA to MAN were poor, entry level fares almost every time. People keep pushing this but that market just isn't there nowadays.
Mind you I said that about NCL.
Mind you I said that about NCL.
RE: Easyjet To Start Gatwick-Paris In Summer '14
Sounds to me like the CDG flight could tying into the new Gatwick Connect scheme being trialed at the moment?
http://www.gatwickairport.com/at-the...port/flying-in/Flight-Connections/
This would in theory make it easier from a passenger to connect to another airline.
Kev.
http://www.gatwickairport.com/at-the...port/flying-in/Flight-Connections/
This would in theory make it easier from a passenger to connect to another airline.
Kev.
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- skipness1E
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RE: Easyjet To Start Gatwick-Paris In Summer '14
They've had fligh connections for decades, BA used to have a hub.....
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- LondonCity
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RE: Easyjet To Start Gatwick-Paris In Summer '14
| Quoting SCQ83 (Reply 7): Otherwise, I cannot imagine how it might work. I have lived in both cities, and I know quite a few people who travel back and forth Paris and London (some of them in a weekly basis), and I don't know a single person who has ever considered using a plane (I guess there are some because of the CityJet services). |
What you must remember is that not everyone lives within easy reach of Eurostar's St Pancras terminal. Gatwick has a catchment area covering affluent zones in Southern England for whom the airport (Gatwick) is closer than St Pancras.
If you live along the South Coast then Gatwick is about 25 miles away whereas St Pancras is more than twice as far away on the other side of London.
RE: Easyjet To Start Gatwick-Paris In Summer '14
| Quoting LondonCity (Reply 13): |
Don't forget about Ebbsfleet and Ashford, though.
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- RyanairGuru
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RE: Easyjet To Start Gatwick-Paris In Summer '14
I find it strange that the times are optimised for CDG passengers. I would personally chose LGW over LHR if heading into the City, but most passengers who don't know better would automatically chose a flight to LHR (or better yet, LCY) rather than LGW. Therefore, somebody who lives in Paris and has to drive to CDG anyway won't perceive any benefit in flying to LGW unless they are looking for price alone. In comparison, somebody living along the South Coast or in Kent or Surrey might well perceive a real benefit in flying from LGW rather than LHR. This would allow EZY to drive more premium traffic on the route, and potentially attract much higher yields.
Or maybe I'm interpreting this wrong
Or maybe I'm interpreting this wrong
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- skipness1E
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RE: Easyjet To Start Gatwick-Paris In Summer '14
| Quoting RyanairGuru (Reply 15): I find it strange that the times are optimised for CDG passengers. |
Given no one's connecting and EZY have a base at CDG, what's odd? These kind of routes are generally optimised at one end. Not all traffic is headed for the Square Mile, EZY has a large base who they are offering a PAR-LON option for on P2P. It'll be interesting to see how this pans out, it'll certainly be way cheaper than airfrance.
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- LondonCity
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RE: Easyjet To Start Gatwick-Paris In Summer '14
| Quoting opethfan (Reply 14): Don't forget about Ebbsfleet and Ashford, though. |
But note that Eurostar has drastically cut back the number of trains which call at Ashford. Yes it is true that Ebbsfleet appears an alternative but the problem is that motorway access is via the M25 where, because of endless road works and accidents, traffic conditions are unpredictable. Today, for example, the traffic signs were flashing up "long delays" for the southern stretch of the M25 where road works are on-goon.
RE: Easyjet To Start Gatwick-Paris In Summer '14
I work in retail travel including business travel and can assure you I get many a request for LGW - MAN but don't recall the last time I was asked about LGW - CDG.
The catchment area for CDG from LGW is narrowed down to West Sussex, the Brighton area and south Surrey. The catchment area for MAN from LGW would include this plus East Sussex and much of Kent. More than twice as big.
The catchment area for CDG from LGW is narrowed down to West Sussex, the Brighton area and south Surrey. The catchment area for MAN from LGW would include this plus East Sussex and much of Kent. More than twice as big.
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- skipness1E
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RE: Easyjet To Start Gatwick-Paris In Summer '14
| Quoting kevinkevin (Reply 6): I think it will be successful. Easyjet may take some pax from LHR who fly to CDG. |
A lot of people flying out of LHR will be connecting passengers, either BA via LHR or AF via CDG ...
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