British Airways has revealed the initial destinations for its new Gatwick subsidiary, which will start flying in March 2022.

Tickets to 35 short-haul destinations also go on sale today.

Initially, the flights will be operated by BA while parent IAG waits for an Air Operators Certificate to be granted to its new entity, which will be known as BA Euroflyer.

It will start with three Airbus aircraft, increasing the fleet to 18 by the end of May 2022. All will fly under the British Airways brand.

Routes that have been launched today include Faro, Ibiza, Malaga, Marrakech and Tenerife, which were moved from Gatwick to London Heathrow during the pandemic.

These routes will continue to be served from Heathrow as well as Gatwick.

New routes from Gatwick include Athens, Berlin, Madrid, Milan Malpensa and Santorini.  

The airline said it will offer free water and snacks on the flights, free seat selection within 24 hours of departure and frequent flyer benefits including lounge access.

Club Europe customers will also receive complimentary food and drink and Euro Traveller customers can order from the airline’s ‘Speedbird Cafe’.

Tickets start at £39 each way and packages cost from £119.

CEO Sean Doyle said: “Today is a landmark moment for British Airways. The creation of a new British Airways short-haul organisation means Gatwick customers will benefit from access to a premium service from the UK’s flag carrier at competitive prices.

“We are looking forward to bringing a short-haul network back to Gatwick, with a fantastic flying team in place, to serve our customers from London’s second hub airport, which we feel sure will be a success.”

Gatwick CEO Stewart Wingate added: “This significant news will be very welcome for many people connected to the airport.  Despite the ongoing public health situation, today’s announcement is a positive signal that consumer confidence is returning as people start thinking about making travel plans for next summer.

“Given the difficult period we have all just been through, we expect BA’s new and extensive network of services from Gatwick to destinations across Europe to be in high demand and our staff, retailers, restaurants, cafes and bars are all looking forward to welcoming BA passengers back in larger numbers from April next year.”