Smoother journey pledge to Gatwick airport passengers

Passengers passing through Gatwick have been promised smoother journeys by the airport's new owners - but not for some months.

It will take time for changes to take effect, Gatwick's new chief executive Stewart Wingate said.

He said the immediate priority was to "get Gatwick's processes right, especially security and check-in".

Mr Wingate said: "It will take some time for our changes to take effect, but within months passengers will begin to feel that their journey through Gatwick is getting easier, and in a year or so they will start to notice physical improvements too.

"Gatwick will become the airport of choice, setting the benchmark for service in London."

Mr Wingate, who has been managing director at Stansted airport in Essex, was appointed by Gatwick's new owner, US-based investment fund Global Infrastructure Partners, which already runs London City Airport.

GIP bought Gatwick, in West Sussex, from previous operator BAA for £1.51 billion in a sale that was finalised. BAA had already decided to offload Gatwick even before the Competition Commission ruled it must sell the airport, as well as Stansted and either Glasgow or Edinburgh airports.

The commission's ruling came after it found that BAA's ownership of seven UK airports was anti-competitive. Mr Wingate said today: "We are reviewing the investment programme to ensure that every pound Gatwick spends is focused on delivering for airlines and passengers.

"We will focus on improving efficiency as it is critical that Gatwick improves on its position as one of the most cost-competitive primary airports in Europe."

The new chairman of Gatwick's board is Sir David Rowlands, a former permanent secretary at the Department for Transport, who is heading the Government-appointed High Speed 2 company which will shortly report on the feasibility of a north-south high-speed rail line.

Sir David said today: "Gatwick is now a major independent airport company and from today, for the first time ever, it is competing directly with Heathrow, Stansted and Luton, as well as with our other airport, London City, in a competitive London airports market.

"Gatwick will be competing vigorously against all London airports for point-to-point, short-haul and long-haul routes and passengers."