Gatwick North Terminal
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Gatwick North Terminal
What was airlines was this initially built for? I know it ended up being the “Hub without the hubbub” for BA, but they had a pretty small presence at LGW back pre BCAL acquisition. Was BCAL intended to be the anchor tennant? Or was it always intended for BA or both? It ended up being BA blue, surely no co-incidence.
Can anyone advise who moved over and when in those early days?
Can anyone advise who moved over and when in those early days?
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I remember after BA took over BCAL the ex BCAL DC10's using N Terminal together with Caledonian Airways Tristars and Delta Tristars/MD11-s. Some of the long haul carriers that eventually moved to Heathrow used it..Cathay Pacific,and possibly Philippine and Garuda.
As I recall the expansion of LGW in the 1980s was to meet the forecast growth in demand for operations generally. The planning for a second terminal was included in future plans in the 1970s. Such plans would not have known the predominant airlines so far in the future and could not have anticipated the changes that took place throughout the 1980s. BA were the major player at Gatwick when the North Terminal opened after their take over of BCal. BA did want NT to be a BA sole use terminal but this did not happen.
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But was BCAL intended to be in North or BA? The takeover was 1987 so quite near opening in 1988. Anyone remember? Before BCAL, BA was mainly British Airtours at LGW with B737-236s. Did they even have any long haul at LGW in 1987?
I seem to recall an attempt at a mixture of carrier types to even out peaks, rather than carrier-specific. First time I used it was a holiday charter, then bussed to a remote stand that could equally well be serviced from either terminal.
BA did some longhaul flights from Gatwick in the late 70's using the 707-336's, Vancouver was one of the destinations, and there were longhaul TriStar flights (not charters) to Cairo and I think some other African places late 80's I think, but specifically 1987 I'm not sure.
North Terminal opening
I think the first other charter airline that went into NT was Air 2000?
But someone here will know that for sure.
The fledgling Emirates were in the NT.
It was a mainly BA terminal for some time....
Cathay Pacific, Philippines and Garuda were still at South when I was at Ogdens until 1994.
Ogdens took over all BA's third party handling at South Terminal that coincided with BCAL takeover and the NT opening.
Only BA did the handling at NT at that time.
Not sure what happened once Delta went over there as they were co-owners of GHL.
Not sure if GHL ended up at both NT & ST?
As an aside BOAC then BEA Airtours did plenty of USA and Canada Affinity and then ABC charters out of LGW (Jetsave, pound stretcher and exchange travel) using 707-420/-336B and the 747-236 that BA got for new KT - This went back to BA and KT then got an ex SAS -283B for this work. G-BMGS which also went over to CKT.
The CKT Tristars and their DC-10's all did the long haul charter work too. Maldives Goa Mombasa Caribbean and Orlando to name a few.
March '88 was when BCal merged with BA , and BA airtours became Caledonian . Was BA Airtours 73 , LGW based at the the time .
North terminal opened shortly after that , and our 73s were about the first users . Used to joke that the terminal cost about £230 million [ if memory serves ] ... with just 7 stands and no piers ... We thought that was rather expensive , £ 30 million a pop for a 737-236 parking spot with no facilities . Guessed that NCP had organised and ran it . Slowly ground power , piers , more stands , were opened .
On Cale Tristars 96-98 , we did not always use the piers , often busses . Mind you only 5 a/c and the odd rented in Peach Air .
Later 98-01 , whilst on BA mainline 75s and 76s doing LGW scheds , mostly piers .
'01 , 3 days at LGW doing 73-400 diff. training [ ex Dan Air , diff cockpit insts ] , mix of piers and off pier , all N. Terminal .
hope this helps .
rgds condor .
North terminal opened shortly after that , and our 73s were about the first users . Used to joke that the terminal cost about £230 million [ if memory serves ] ... with just 7 stands and no piers ... We thought that was rather expensive , £ 30 million a pop for a 737-236 parking spot with no facilities . Guessed that NCP had organised and ran it . Slowly ground power , piers , more stands , were opened .
On Cale Tristars 96-98 , we did not always use the piers , often busses . Mind you only 5 a/c and the odd rented in Peach Air .
Later 98-01 , whilst on BA mainline 75s and 76s doing LGW scheds , mostly piers .
'01 , 3 days at LGW doing 73-400 diff. training [ ex Dan Air , diff cockpit insts ] , mix of piers and off pier , all N. Terminal .
hope this helps .
rgds condor .
the Royal Nepal 757 KTM-DXB-FRA-LGW was one of the first foreign airlines in North term iirc???
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LGW North Terminal history
Just came across this thread, as I'm currently reading up on the history at LGW. Having been born in the mid 1990s, I'm too young to remember what North Terminal was like prior to the rise of EZY etc at Gatwick. Does anyone have any pictures of the interior of the North Terminal back when when it was first opened? From what I have read, North was always preferred by full service and long haul carriers, as it was quieter, compared to the South Terminal, which housed mostly the LCCs and short haul, at least in the BAA days. However, these days, it seems to have shifted massively since EZY have taken over the majority of the North Terminal and BA are of course now in the South Terminal, and the South seems to be taking on more long haul than North now. I travelled through the North Terminal back in January last year when the South was closed. My first impressions was that the terminal looks extremely dated and tired, compared to the South Terminal, which surprised me, considering that North had been seen as the 'nicer' of the two terminals from a passenger standpoint. So it would be interesting to see some earlier photos to see what it was like before today, if anyone has any?
Also, no doubt BA had little, if any say when it came to the airline moves programme in 2017 that saw it move South. Leaving aside this, would BA have preferred to have remained in the North Terminal? They seem to have made a nice job in the South, in that South = British Airways in a way North wasn't, at least towards the end of their time there.
Also, no doubt BA had little, if any say when it came to the airline moves programme in 2017 that saw it move South. Leaving aside this, would BA have preferred to have remained in the North Terminal? They seem to have made a nice job in the South, in that South = British Airways in a way North wasn't, at least towards the end of their time there.
you might want to look into the below - it is of the time...
Man abandoned as baby in Gatwick Airport finally finds parents | The Independent | The Independent
Man abandoned as baby in Gatwick Airport finally finds parents | The Independent | The Independent
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Just found this great TV ad BA commissioned as part of their move to the North Terminal in 1988 - anyone remember this? 
No doubt the North Terminal was world-class and leagues ahead of other London terminals when it was first opened.
No doubt the North Terminal was world-class and leagues ahead of other London terminals when it was first opened.
With future expansion anticipated for London Gatwick Airport the BAA started construction of the North Terminal in 1984.
London Gatwick Airport North Terminal from it's original concept was always planned throughout it's design stage by BAA with BCAL as being the main tenant. The new terminal was cladded in the royal blue colours of BCAL, it would include dedicated BCAL first and business lounges and check in area. Although BCAL were intended to be the main tenant, it was also intended to be an open terminal for the use of other airlines.
As built the North Terminal lacked a domestic facility which would have meant that BCAL would have had to have a duo terminal operation. With the North Terminal initially only having one pier (pier 5) with seven gates it would have accommodated the long haul flights by BCAL along with several European flights. BCAL intended to move entirely into the North Terminal by 1991 once a domestic facility was completed.
Obviously with the merger of BCAL and British Airways in 1988 all of the above changed. British Airways along with the former British Airtours now renamed Caledonian were to be the main tenants of the North Terminal on it's completion. With the merger of BCAL and BA completed in August 1988 a major investment by British Airways was announced. British Airways planned to develop the facility into it's second London hub. Prior to the merger, British Airways scheduled flight operations at London Gatwick were not large although combined with it's charter airline British Airtours it was well represented. At the time of the merger between BCAL and British Airways they only generally flew to destinations on the Iberian peninsula, several Italian destinations along with several European cities, including Copenhagen and Stockholm.
The first flight to depart from the new North Terminal was on the 22 March 1988, BA323 to Naples operated by a British Airways Boeing 737-236.
With Pier 4 along with a domestic facility being completed in 1991 this allowed for other airlines to relocate from the airport's South Terminal. This included Air New Zealand, Brymon Airways, Cathay Pacific Airways, Delta, Emirates, Maersk Air, Royal Nepal Airlines. Several other airlines also relocated during this period.
If British Caledonian Airways survived without the merger and the airline moving into a brand new terminal at London Gatwick Airport it could well have been a game changing moment for Britain's second airline. Shame really looking back on it as BCAL will always have a place in my heart to my dieing days.
FYI...Philippine Airlines never operated from the North Terminal. Garuda Indonesian moved to the North Terminal in 2012, not long after they relocated to LHR.
Today London Gatwick North Terminal looks completely different to when it was originally opened in March 1988 as the attached photo shows.
London Gatwick Airport North Terminal from it's original concept was always planned throughout it's design stage by BAA with BCAL as being the main tenant. The new terminal was cladded in the royal blue colours of BCAL, it would include dedicated BCAL first and business lounges and check in area. Although BCAL were intended to be the main tenant, it was also intended to be an open terminal for the use of other airlines.
As built the North Terminal lacked a domestic facility which would have meant that BCAL would have had to have a duo terminal operation. With the North Terminal initially only having one pier (pier 5) with seven gates it would have accommodated the long haul flights by BCAL along with several European flights. BCAL intended to move entirely into the North Terminal by 1991 once a domestic facility was completed.
Obviously with the merger of BCAL and British Airways in 1988 all of the above changed. British Airways along with the former British Airtours now renamed Caledonian were to be the main tenants of the North Terminal on it's completion. With the merger of BCAL and BA completed in August 1988 a major investment by British Airways was announced. British Airways planned to develop the facility into it's second London hub. Prior to the merger, British Airways scheduled flight operations at London Gatwick were not large although combined with it's charter airline British Airtours it was well represented. At the time of the merger between BCAL and British Airways they only generally flew to destinations on the Iberian peninsula, several Italian destinations along with several European cities, including Copenhagen and Stockholm.
The first flight to depart from the new North Terminal was on the 22 March 1988, BA323 to Naples operated by a British Airways Boeing 737-236.
With Pier 4 along with a domestic facility being completed in 1991 this allowed for other airlines to relocate from the airport's South Terminal. This included Air New Zealand, Brymon Airways, Cathay Pacific Airways, Delta, Emirates, Maersk Air, Royal Nepal Airlines. Several other airlines also relocated during this period.
If British Caledonian Airways survived without the merger and the airline moving into a brand new terminal at London Gatwick Airport it could well have been a game changing moment for Britain's second airline. Shame really looking back on it as BCAL will always have a place in my heart to my dieing days.
FYI...Philippine Airlines never operated from the North Terminal. Garuda Indonesian moved to the North Terminal in 2012, not long after they relocated to LHR.
Today London Gatwick North Terminal looks completely different to when it was originally opened in March 1988 as the attached photo shows.
Last edited by Sotonsean; 30th Mar 2023 at 22:34.
Great pic Sean
Flew to Atlanta with Delta from the North Terminal in Feb 1996....MD-11 N804DE (DL11)....was rather disappointed it wasn't an L1011.
Was the gate layout as above in 96? Something niggling me that it had changed a bit by then?
Flew to Atlanta with Delta from the North Terminal in Feb 1996....MD-11 N804DE (DL11)....was rather disappointed it wasn't an L1011.
Was the gate layout as above in 96? Something niggling me that it had changed a bit by then?
The layout of the North Terminal had extensively changed by 1996 from the attached image.
Pier 4 was built in 1991 with 8 gates and Pier 5 as shown in the image was extended to the left to accommodate further gates.
As originally designed I can remember seeing images of the North Terminal with having gates on all three sides of the terminal. The area to the left of the terminal building was originally to have aircraft stands with two widebody gates on the opposite side to pier 4.
Of course we have to remember that the North Terminal was built on land that had previously been considered for a second runway. If the second runway had been built on that land perhaps we could have seen the North Terminal being built within the area of where the current control tower is situated.
