British Airways has suspended its London Gatwick to New York route until March 2025, canceling over 100 flights due to significant delays in engine delivery. Facing a shortage of Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines for its Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet, BA announced that this popular transatlantic route would be halted from December 12, 2024, to March 25, 2025. To minimize disruption, British Airways assured customers that it would offer alternative flights, either through its own Heathrow service or with partner airlines, for most passengers affected.
“We’re disappointed that we’ve had to make further changes to our schedule as we continue to experience delays to the delivery of engines and parts from Rolls-Royce – particularly in relation to the Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines fitted to our 787 aircraft,” a British Airways spokesperson said, noting that the airline “doesn’t believe the issue will be solved quickly” but is committed to offering customers “the certainty they deserve.”
BA launched the Gatwick-New York route in 2015, adding to its existing services from Heathrow and City Airport to the U.S. But as supply chain disruptions continue, the airline has adjusted its transatlantic schedules to focus resources on its eight daily flights between Heathrow and New York. BA emphasized that this adjustment, while disruptive, was essential to maintain service quality amid the prolonged delays with Rolls-Royce deliveries.
British Airways expressed its commitment to addressing customer needs, with a spokesperson adding, “We’ve apologized to those affected and are able to offer the vast majority a flight the same day with British Airways or one of our partner airlines.” As Rolls-Royce works to overcome the shortage, British Airways assured customers of ongoing communication and alternate options until the Gatwick-New York route is scheduled to resume in late March 2025.
Rolls-Royce has also commented on the industry-wide impact of these delays, saying: “We continue to work with British Airways and all of our customers to minimize the impact of the limited availability of spares due to the current supply chain constraints. Unfortunately, this is an issue affecting the whole aerospace industry.” Rolls-Royce’s Trent 1000 engines power the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, a model that is 20% more efficient than previous generations, but current shortages have created challenges for BA and other airlines reliant on timely parts delivery.
BA stated that while the Gatwick route is paused, its eight daily Heathrow-to-New York flights will continue operating, ensuring that travelers still have options for direct transatlantic travel.
To provide clarity and certainty to passengers, British Airways continues to work closely with Rolls-Royce, seeking a more reliable timeline for engine supply and has formally apologized to affected customers.
