Summer 2025 is shaping up to be a bit of a rollercoaster for UK travellers. BA has quietly axed its London City to Mykonos route, while Freebird Airlines—yes, that Turkish carrier you’ve probably never flown—seems to be pulling a disappearing act at Gatwick. Meanwhile, over at Heathrow, Air Astana is scaling back, selling off its Thursday slots to Air India, giving the Indian carrier even more room to grow in London.
If you were hoping for a hassle-free island hop, a budget-friendly Antalya escape, or a seamless connection to Kazakhstan, you might need a Plan B. So, what’s behind these schedule shake-ups? Let’s dive in.
In This Post
Freebird Flies In… and Out?
Well, that was fast. Freebird Airlines, the Turkish carrier best known for, well, existing, is launching seasonal flights from Antalya to London Gatwick this summer. Starting 4 July 2021, you’ll be able to catch the Sunday service:
🛫 FHY587 – Antalya (AYT) 18:30 → London Gatwick (LGW) 21:05
🛬 FHY588 – London Gatwick (LGW) 22:10 → Antalya (AYT) 04:20+1
Not enough Freebird action for you? From 27 July 2021, they’re throwing in Tuesday flights:
🛫 FHY587 – Antalya (AYT) 07:30 → London Gatwick (LGW) 10:05
🛬 FHY588 – London Gatwick (LGW) 11:00 → Antalya (AYT) 17:10
But here’s the twist: Freebird appears to be calling it quits in 2025, with flights mysteriously vanishing from schedules after 2 April. Summer fling, or just a bad case of commitment issues?
BA Says “Bye” to Mykonos from London City
Bad news for those who fancied jetting to Mykonos with the efficiency of a DLR commute. BA CityFlyer has quietly axed its London City–Mykonos service for summer 2025, a route it’s operated since 2015.
Why? It’s likely down to BA’s new love affair with Milan Linate. As part of Lufthansa’s acquisition of ITA Airways, BA got extra slots at Linate. Instead of one daily flight, London City will now have three – and since Mykonos is a longer route, it’s an easy target for the chopping block.
But fear not, partygoers and island hoppers—BA’s Heathrow–Mykonos flights remain untouched. So, if you’re set on a summer escape to the Aegean, you’ll just have to deal with Heathrow’s Terminal 5 instead of London City’s breezy departures hall.
Air Astana Trades Heathrow Slots – Air India Expands
Meanwhile, over at Heathrow, the game of slot Tetris continues. Air Astana, Kazakhstan’s flag carrier, has offloaded its Thursday Heathrow slots (one arrival, one departure) to Air India, which will take over from summer 2025. This move shrinks Air Astana’s UK presence to three weekly flights while Air India gains yet another foothold at Britain’s busiest airport.
What’s behind the move? Likely a mix of slot scarcity and demand—Air India is in full expansion mode, and given that Heathrow slots are rarer than an on-time Heathrow Express, the airline probably couldn’t resist. As for Air Astana fans, it’s time to start strategising your UK-Kazakhstan trips around those remaining flights.
Conclusion.
So, there you have it—BA is saying “Yasou” to its Mykonos route from London City, while Freebird is pulling an Antalya disappearing act faster than you can say “Where’s my boarding pass?” Meanwhile, Air Astana’s retreat at Heathrow gives Air India an extra leg up in the slot wars.
If you were planning on a seamless Greek island getaway, a budget jaunt to Turkey, or a smooth ride to Kazakhstan, you might need to rethink your flight plans. But with BA still running Mykonos services from Heathrow, alternative airlines swooping into Antalya, and Freebird briefly gracing Gatwick with its presence before vanishing, all’s not lost. Just be prepared to swap LCY speed for Heathrow queues—or find yourself on a very different airline.
