British Airways Shifts Fuerteventura to Heathrow in Winter Schedule Shake-Up

British Airways will fly to Fuerteventura from London Heathrow for the first time, moving the Canary Islands route from Gatwick under a winter schedule change that runs twice weekly from Dec. 13, 2026 to Apr. 11, 2027.

The service to Fuerteventura Airport (FUE) will depart Heathrow's Terminal 5 on Thursdays and Sundays. BA has been explicit about what this is not: an additional service. Flights to the island will not operate from Gatwick at the same time. The route simply changes its London departure point for the winter season.

Why the switch matters for Heathrow

Fuerteventura sits 60km off the northern coast of Africa and pulls a steady stream of UK holiday traffic. Until now, none of it has flowed through the UK's busiest aviation hub. The move gives the island its only nonstop connection to Heathrow and adds a destination to BA's network at LHR — an airport where slot scarcity makes every new route a deliberate allocation decision rather than an accident of scheduling.

For BA, the calculus is straightforward. A winter-seasonal leisure route occupying Heathrow slots reflects the airline's ongoing effort to keep its premium hub filled during the quieter months, when business traffic softens and leisure destinations carry the load.

What else changes this winter?

The Fuerteventura shift is the headline, but BA has reshuffled several other winter routes between its two London bases:

• Innsbruck, Austria — moves from Heathrow to Gatwick
• Costa Rica — moves from Gatwick to Heathrow
• Tampa, Florida — moves from Gatwick to Heathrow

The pattern cuts both ways. Long-haul leisure routes to Costa Rica and Tampa consolidate at Heathrow, while the alpine ski gateway of Innsbruck heads in the opposite direction to Gatwick. BA has advised customers with existing bookings to check their departure terminal and the airline's website to confirm where their flight will leave from.

What are passengers entitled to?

The changes carry regulatory weight. Under UK passenger rights rules, switching departure airports counts as a cancellation. That triggers obligations: British Airways must notify affected passengers and offer each of them a free switch to the new flight or a full refund.

For travellers who booked Gatwick departures — perhaps for cheaper parking, easier access from south of London, or connections built around that airport — the Heathrow move is not a neutral adjustment. It changes the practical cost and convenience of the trip, which is precisely why the rules treat it as a cancellation rather than a schedule tweak.

Passengers who notice the change and act promptly can rebook or take the refund; those who don't risk discovering a different airport on their boarding pass. BA's own advice to verify departure terminals before travel suggests the airline expects some friction as the changes bed in.

A seasonal test of hub strategy

The Fuerteventura service will run for roughly four months, ending Apr. 11, 2027. Whether BA retains the Heathrow link beyond that window, returns the route to Gatwick, or drops it entirely will say something about how year-round demand from LHR to a sun-and-sand destination compares with the Gatwick base it leaves behind.