British Airways is to cancel a number of its services from next spring. The airline says it will end services between Gatwick and Dublin – where it competes with Ryanair – next March. A spokeswoman said: “The route is not profitable and is not being helped by the Irish government's decision to put a €10 departure tax on each passenger from next March. We will codeshare with Aer Lingus on this route when our service ends.”

The airline has also announced today that it will end services between Gatwick and Zurich and between Heathrow and both Kolkata and Dhaka from the start of the summer 2009 timetable.

The airline is also reducing domestic shuttle services from Gatwick: Edinburgh from six to four, Glasgow from five to four and Manchester from seven to five.

The spokeswoman said: “In total we will still fly 24 times each day between London and Edinburgh (LHR, LGW and London City), 18 times each day between London and Glasgow (LHR, LGW and LCY) and 13 times each day between London and Manchester (LHR and LGW).”