Flybe has announced the introduction of an additional six brand new routes from the start of the 2012 summer season.

The news adds up to an extra 34 flights a week from 25 March, further expanding the airline’s schedule to a total choice of 208 routes across its extensive network.

There are two brand new routes from Newcastle to Newquay and Bergen (Norway); and new routes from Belfast City to Newquay; to Knock and Waterford (Republic of Ireland) from Leeds Bradford and Birmingham respectively and from Southampton to Tours in France.

The six additional new routes have been chosen so that both leisure and business travellers have a wide variety of travel options available to them and, in the case of the Newcastle- Bergen route, re-instates a much-awaited link between the two twinned cities.

The six new services, which commence on 25 March 2012:

• Birmingham to Waterford – Daily flights
• Newcastle to Bergen – Flights operate three times a week Tues/ Thurs/Sat
• Newcastle to Newquay – Flights operate Saturdays starting 5 May
• Belfast City to Newquay – Flights operate Saturdays starting 5 May
• Leeds Bradford to Knock – Flights operate three times a week on Tues/Thurs/Sun
• Southampton – Tours – Flights operate Wed/Sat from 16 May 16th

Flybe’s Managing Director, Andrew Strong, comments: “Flybe is committed to developing our route network throughout the regions and to keeping business and leisure travellers moving during these continued economically challenging times. The introduction of these six attractive destinations to our already extensive schedule for summer gives our passengers a large choice of affordable travel options and we look forward to operating our first flights to these new destinations.”

Regional airports and airlines have renewed their call on the Chancellor to reduce Air Passenger Duty (APD) on flights from all UK airports outside of London. The move follows the Chancellor’s decision to reduce APD on long haul flights from Northern Ireland, in recognition of the harmful effect the tax was having on air services.

In a joint letter to the Chancellor, twelve airports and airlines called for urgent action to support the economic growth and development of the UK regions. The letter states:

“Regional airports and airlines have a lower percentage of business travellers or inbound tourists than the London airports, and have been hit hard by economic downturn. That’s not just bad news for our businesses. It’s bad for jobs, bad for inward investment and bad for wealth creation in the UK regions. If the Government is serious about truly rebalancing the economy, then decisive action is needed on behalf of the 86 million passengers that fly from our airports.”

Andrew Strong, Managing Director, Flybe UK said, “Flybe welcomes the Chancellor’s acknowledgement that air services from the UK’s regions are impacted by the high price of Air Passenger Duty (APD) and we look forward to the Treasury expanding these plans so that other lifeline regional routes, including domestic lifeline routes, may receive a differential rate of APD. It is nothing short of scandalous that domestic passengers should be hit not once but twice by this tax unlike overseas-bound travellers who only pay once.”

Air Passenger Duty was introduced in 1994 and doubled in 2007. Manchester Airport’s passenger traffic peaked in that year at 22 million passengers but since then the fall in the regions has been almost double the fall in London. London airports are down 9% on the 2007 peak (127m in 2010, down from 139m in 2007) while regional airports have felt a bigger impact, down 17% on the 2007 peak (86m in 2010, down from 103m in 2007).

Jonathan Bailey, External Affairs Director for the Manchester Airports Group (MAG), said: “We are delighted that the Chancellor has recognised the detrimental effect air passenger duty (APD) is having on UK aviation but disappointed that only Belfast’s plight has been noted. Action must be taken to address the disproportionate impact of APD in the regions outside London and the South East, as well as Northern Ireland. Every European country that has removed its equivalent of APD has duly felt the benefits and we are all aware of the difficult economic situation and how our economies need a boost. Aviation could provide it and we hope that the government will have the same foresight for other regions.”

Dave Laws, Chief Executive at Newcastle Airport, said: “If the Government can pull out all the stops to protect an air link serving Northern Ireland, then it can do the same for the North East. We have said before that APD should be abolished or reduced significantly across the whole country.

“Any differentiation based upon geographical criteria, which appears to be the case with the Northern Ireland proposal, would be unfair and possibly illegal under EU State Aid Regulations. Also, where would it end? Would Scotland and Wales also be successful in arguing special circumstances? A much fairer, and probably legal, approach would be to give all regional airports a stimulus by varying the rate of APD between congested and non-congested airports, thereby protecting the interests of all disadvantaged regions.”

Earlier this year, MAG, Newcastle Airport and Flybe were involved in the ‘Fair Tax on Flying’ campaign and joined an alliance of more than 25 airlines, airports, tour operators, destinations and trade associations who were uniting to call on the Government to make the system of aviation tax in the UK fairer. That helped to raise awareness of the current system amongst UK travellers and saw the issue of a regionalised system of tax being mentioned in the Treasury’s subsequent consultation on the current system.

To see a copy of the letter click here.

Flybe has today announced it is to ensure the continuation of Newquay to Manchester flights by introducing its own a four-times-a-week service from Sunday 30 October 2011.

In total, the airline will offer up to 44 flights a week to and from Newquay Cornwall airport during winter on Flybe’s two key routes to London Gatwick and Manchester Airport.

Flight schedule:

30 October 2011 – 23 March 2012

• Mon/Thurs/Fri
  Depart Newquay at 10:50 arrive Manchester 12:05
  Depart Manchester12:30 arrive Newquay 13:40
• Sunday
  Depart Manchester 14:40 arrive Newquay 15:50
  Depart Newquay 16:15 arrive Manchester 17:30

Newquay Cornwall Airport’s Managing Director, Al Titterington, added: “Flybe’s decision to commence operations from Newquay to Manchester is timely and a great boost to the airport. We are confident that there is a demand for air services to/from Cornwall and this announcement demonstrates that belief. The airport has a great relationship with Flybe and, as the UK number 1 domestic airline, they are ideally suited to service such an important destination as Manchester. It is vital that year round services to Manchester are maintained and Flybe recognises this important link.”

Flights are available for sale today from £29.99 – one way including taxes and charges.

Air Southwest has announced new flights between Newquay and Jersey and Guernsey.

The flights will commence next Tuesday, 3 May, and will operate weekdays (Monday to Friday) throughout the summer.

Air Southwest has resumed its popular Newquay and Plymouth to Cork flights.

The flights commenced on 15 March and will operate three times a week – Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays – throughout the summer season.

It’s two years now since Flybe launched its popular Newquay to Gatwick service – the South West’s only air route to London and the South East.

Passengers checking in for the ‘second anniversary’ flight were greeted by a colourful London ‘guardsman’, complete with red uniform and black busby, who presented two lucky winners with two return flights for future use on the key route.  For local businessman Andrew McKin, it was his 55th flight on this key route, with Colin Lemmings from Dartford, Kent commenting that he usually travels with Flybe twice a month between his London and Newquay offices. 

During its first two years of operation, the Flybe London Gatwick to Newquay sector has grown passengers numbers by 46%, with many of Flybe’s weekend flights over 80% full.

Mike Rutter, Flybe’s Chief Commercial Officer said: “Just two years after Flybe started operating direct flights between Newquay and London Gatwick, it is clear that the service has benefited the Cornish economy and the Cornish travelling public.

“We’d like to take this opportunity to thank all our passengers for their support in making this route the success it has become. We are also particularly proud of the fact that this route is also helping to open up the Cornish economy to the rest of the world by means of Flybe’s connecting services from our London Gatwick base. By way of example, our extensive interline partnerships with airlines like Emirates, Air France and Virgin Atlantic has allowed Cornish travellers in the past few months alone to check-in their baggage at Newquay Cornwall Airport and pick it up again when they arrive at such far-flung destinations as Atlanta, Denmark, Dubai, Orlando and Singapore!”

Thomson Airways, the airline for tour operators Thomson and First Choice, has announced its plans to operate a flight from Newcastle Airport to Barbados this winter.

Flights, ideal for Cruise customers, will cost from £679pp return and is the first flight of its kind to operate from Newcastle Airport.

To book Newcastle airport car parking or Newcastle airport hotels click on the links.

Regional airline Air Southwest is launching a daily service between Newquay and Cardiff on January 4 next year.

Mike Coombes, commercial director at Plymouth-based Air Southwest – which is the biggest operator from Newquay Cornwall Airport – said: “Our flights are ideal for a short break and shave more than three hours off the equivalent journey by road. They start in the New Year so the message is book early for the best deals.”

Al Titterington, managing director of Newquay Cornwall Airport said: “The introduction of Air Southwest’s Newquay to Cardiff service is positive news for the airport and Cornwall, and demonstrates Air Southwest’s commitment to developing air services.”

Patrick Duffy, managing director at Cardiff Airport, added: “We’re pleased to have Air Southwest at Cardiff and with them a new service to Newquay. The service offers a real alternative to the long journeys by rail and road which is good news for both leisure and business passengers in South Wales and Cornwall. ”

To search for and book Cardiff airport parking click on the link.

Air Southwest has teamed up with Avis to offer a series of exclusive fly-drive offers in Cornwall and Devon.

With three-day packages from just £78 per person, including return flights, car hire, taxes, charges and baggage, and seven-day packages from just £127 per person, the offers will appeal to ‘staycationers’ across the UK who want a short break without it costing the earth.

Air Southwest flies to Plymouth Airport in Devon and Newquay Airport in Cornwall from a range of cities in the UK and Ireland including London, Manchester, Leeds, Newcastle, Glasgow, Bristol, Cork and Dublin, and from the Channel Islands to Plymouth.

Air Southwest has put together a range of carefully planned driving tours to help visitors make the most of their trip to the Westcountry, all of which are downloadable at www.airsouthwest.com/flydrive

Mike Coombes, Commercial Director at Air Southwest, said: “Cornwall and Devon have just been voted the top two holiday destinations in the UK at the British Travel Awards and these flydrive packages are aimed at that market.

“There’s a huge variety of things to see and do within a short drive of Plymouth and Newquay airports including spectacular scenery and some of the finest coastline in the UK.”

Nick Mountfield, Head of Marketing at Avis UK, said: “These are great fly-drive packages for Brits wanting to explore Devon and Cornwall and we’ve come up with some exciting itineraries for making the most of a trip to the Westcountry.”

Air Southwest and Avis have also teamed up with the stunning four-star Cornwall Hotel Spa and Estate to offer customers a 15% discount for a stay or visit up to December 23, 2011.

To compare Manchester airport car parking or search for bed and breakfast Falmouth Cornwall click on the links.

Air Southwest customers flying to Newquay can enjoy even easier access to Cornwall with the opening of a new Avis car hire branch.

Avis, Air Southwest’s official car hire partner, has opened a new branch at Newquay Cornwall Airport, making its large selection of hire vehicles available to those travelling to Cornwall.

The opening of the Newquay branch will offer Air Southwest’s business and leisure customers a convenient way of getting around the county during their stay.

Nick Mountfield, Head of Marketing at Avis UK, said: “As one of the UK’s up-and-coming airports, it offers us a fantastic opportunity for us to build our fly/drive traffic. Cornwall is a popular destination for Brits wanting to get away and the new branch offers visitors another service to help further boost tourism in Cornwall.”

Air Southwest flies to Newquay from London Gatwick, Manchester, Leeds Bradford, Newcastle, Bristol, Glasgow, Cork and Dublin.

Mike Coombes, Commercial Director of Air Southwest, commented: “As our official car hire partner, we’re really pleased to see Avis opening a new branch at Newquay Cornwall Airport. It will make it even easier for our customers to explore the fantastic range of things to see and do in Cornwall, and means or business customers can save time with a seamless transition from air to road.”

Gareth Kitching, Routes and Revenue Executive at Newquay Cornwall Airport, said: “We welcome Avis to the airport as it offers our passengers even more choice for onward travel here at Newquay. Avis will allow Air Southwest passengers a more streamlined travel experience and the chance to explore the beautiful county of Cornwall.”