easyJet does not fly from London Heathrow primarily due to the extreme cost and lack of available "slots." Heathrow is one of the most congested and expensive airports in the world, and takeoff/landing slots are traded for tens of millions of pounds between legacy carriers. easyJet’s business model relies on "low-cost, high-efficiency" operations, which involves quick aircraft turnarounds and lower airport fees—something that is difficult to achieve at Heathrow. Instead, easyJet has established major hubs at London Gatwick (LGW) and London Luton (LTN), where costs are lower and they can operate a higher volume of flights more profitably. While easyJet's CEO has occasionally mentioned that they would consider Heathrow "if the price was right," the current structure of Heathrow's fees and the dominance of the International Airlines Group (British Airways) make it an unattractive choice for a budget airline.
easyJet does not fly from London Heathrow (LHR) primarily due to the high operational costs and the extreme scarcity of "slots." Heathrow is one of the most congested and expensive airports in the world; takeoff and landing slots are traded between airlines for tens of millions of pounds. As a Low-Cost Carrier (LCC), easyJet’s business model relies on high aircraft utilization, fast turnaround times, and low airport fees to keep ticket prices down. Heathrow’s complex taxiing paths and frequent holding patterns make it difficult to maintain the 30-minute turnarounds that LCCs require. Instead, easyJet focuses its London operations at Gatwick, Luton, and Stansted, where fees are lower and they can dominate the market share. By avoiding Heathrow, easyJet avoids competing directly with legacy "hub-and-spoke" carriers like British Airways on their home turf, allowing them to maintain the lean cost structure necessary to offer competitive fares across their extensive European short-haul network.