XL to discontinue all Caribbean service from Gatwick
Loading ...
Posted on: August 28th, 2008 by Robert Bergerson
XL Airways has announced its plan to discontinue service on all of its Caribbean routes operated from Gatwick Airport.
In its announcement, the carrier stated that service on all six of its routes will be cut by 3 November, 2008.
It low-cost carrier indicated that it was the rising cost of jet fuel combined with a slowdown in the UK’s economy that led to its decision to cease flying on these routes.
XL currently flies from Gatwick to Antigua, Barbados, Grenada, St Kitts, St Lucia and Tobago.
XL’s managing director, Martin Lock, has said that in the past half year, the cost of operating long-haul routes has increased significantly, and the carrier has begun to lose money on these flights.
He explained further that the Caribbean services in particular did not help the carrier overall in managing operating costs, as fuel prices remained high while passenger numbers decreased, so that the airline “reluctantly [made] the decision to cancel the services.”
Lock added: “Because of their higher prices, the long haul routes from the UK are seeing even more of a softening of demand than short haul. This weaker demand has lead to XL Airways having to keep our prices competitive as we try and attract more customers.”
www.xl.com
