Gatwick's bosses reap millions in bonuses

Tuesday 28 March 2023

Gatwick's owner is to pay out more than £17 million in bonuses to the airport's managers for their performances during 2022, despite criticism over flight delays and baggage handling last year.

The French owner, Vinci will be giving Gatwick Chief Executive Stewart Wingate and other directors a share of £17.5m.

Mr Wingate has been CEO of Gatwick since 2009, with Vinci buying a majority stake in the airport in 2018. He will share the bonus payout with 14 other staff when it is realised in 2025.

Vinci's annual report detailed the multi-million pound bonuses, after the airport returned to profit for the first time since the covid pandemic.

The pandemic cost Gatwick more than £800m, while it made £197m last year.

Pictured: Gatwick's economic performance recovered during 2022 following two years affected by the pandemic.

As Britain’s second largest airport, it is one of the country's main international travel hubs with daily domestic flights too.

It is classed as Guernsey's lifeline link with the UK, along with Alderney and Southampton. 

Aurigny flies between Guernsey and Gatwick daily with up to six return services a day at times. 

In July 2022, just 37% of all flights leaving Gatwick took off within 16minutes of the scheduled time. Baggage handlers missed targets for delivering luggage within 35 minutes of arrival for small and medium aircraft and 50 minutes for larger planes.

Taking a date at random, the 6 July saw all of the six departures from Guernsey to Gatwick delayed by times varying between five minutes to over an hour.

Of the scheduled return flights, three were late by between 24 minutes and 5 hours 17 mimutes.

The weather was cloudy on that date.