Year-round flights to London are to resume at last from Cornwall Airport Newquay after the contract was won by Eastern Airways.
The Humberside-based airline already flies between Newquay and Leeds Bradford Airport, but it has now secured flights to the capital. The route, which is funded by the Government under what is called a public service obligation (PSO), will be taken over by the airline in December, Cornwall Airport Newquay has confirmed.
It has not yet been confirmed which airport in London the route will connect with, although Gatwick is believed to be the front runner.
The PSO flights have been on hold since the original Flybe company, which operated them, went into administration in March 2020. That firm is now called FBE Realisations 2021 Ltd and is still in administration, and a new, unrelated, Flybe Ltd has yet to start any flights at all, though it has now appointed experienced aviation executive Dave Pflieger as chief executive.
Cornwall Council, which owns Cornwall Airport Newquay, tendered for a new operator for the four-year contract, but earlier in 2021 suspended the PSO when it was unable to find any firm to take it on. A new tendering process began in July with a deadline for applicants of September 7.
The only route running from Cornwall Newquay Airport to London in 2021 has been British Airways' commercial summer service to Heathrow, which ended in September. Since September 28 there have been no flights connecting Cornwall to London.
The PSO is designed to provide a year-round service, especially during winter months when the route may not be commercially profitable without a subsidy.
Cornwall Council has worked with the Department for Transport to reinstate the service and is now able to announce the year-round link will be operated by Eastern Airways but has not said how frequently the flights will run or the exact date they will commence.
Most Read
In a statement Cornwall Council said: "Following the decision taken on the reintroduction of the PSO between Newquay and London last week, the council is working with the Department for Transport, Eastern Airways and the airports on the final details and expect to make an official announcement regarding the schedule and sale of seats next week."
In summer 2021 Eastern Airways relaunched the Leeds Bradford to Cornwall service. The airline was started in 1997 to serve the critical energy corridor in the 海角视频 East Coast, that continues with the Humberside to Aberdeen route as a staple.
It has widened its offer, accelerating lately as it picked up previous Flybe operations, and continued serving key points in the 海角视频 non-stop through all Covid-19lockdowns. It was one of few airlines to offer unbroken service continuity domestically, due to a reliance by many energy workers on critical connectivity.
The Humberside Airport-based carrier provides a network of routes from airports including Aberdeen, Alicante, Anglesey, Belfast City, Cardiff, Dublin, Humberside, Isle of Man, Leeds Bradford, London Heathrow, Manchester, Newcastle, Southampton, and Teesside International in addition to an expanding charter and contract service for many Premier League and Championship football clubs, rugby teams and major corporate customers.