Gatwick – check your flight as south terminal reopens

Gatwick Airport announced on Sunday March 27 that its south terminal reopens this week to cope with the increased number of flights scheduled, with airlines experiencing a pick-up in demand.

Currently the airport handles around 300 flights a day with that number expected to nearly double over the next few months. Sources at the airport say that the number of destinations is also expected to increase with airlines putting on flights to new areas not previously catered for by Gatwick.

Travellers through the south terminal will find the airport has been totally refurbished following its closure on June 15, 2020. Its shops, cafes and other facilities have undergone months of refurbishment, updating and cleaning ahead of the reopening.

Chief Executive Stewart Wingate said: “A lot of work has gone into preparing our south terminal, and I would like to thank everybody involved as their combined efforts mean that today we are effectively opening a medium-sized airport overnight, which is no small task.

“We’re now ready and excited to welcome passengers back in large numbers, and our restaurants, shops, cafes and bars are also looking forward to serving passengers again before they jet off on holiday, to visit friends and family or take that vital business trip.

“After a difficult two years, we know there is significant pent-up demand for international travel, so I advise passengers to book early to make sure they secure the flights they want this summer”.

The reopening of the terminal is according to Wingate good news for the local economy which had suffered as a result of the closure. Many businesses in the area rely on the airport for business as does the local community for employment.

A number of airlines have said they will make the switch to the south terminal sometime this week, including British Airways, Vueling and Wizz Air. Easyjet will continue to operate from the north terminal as well as running some flights from the south terminal, with the airline flying to more than 120 destinations from the airport.

Gatwick airport has advised passengers to check which terminal their flight is departing from with some flights having changed to the south terminal as it reopens this week. They do expect terminals to be busy which could add to traveller’s misery if they arrive at the wrong terminal.

Staff at the airport have also requested travellers make sure they have the correct documentation to hand, as it will be checked and if not correct or readily available could slow down the whole check-in procedure.

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