Newquay Cornwall Airport welcomes new twice-daily flights to London City Airport with Air Southwest

Thursday 12th March, 2009

Newquay Cornwall Airport welcomes the launch of a third London route – to London City Airport – complementing existing services to London Gatwick and Stansted airports. From April 20th Air Southwest will be operating the new route, direct to the heart of the capital’s important financial district, with a twice-daily service.

Karen Medweth, Newquay Cornwall Airport’s Head of Commercial Development, said: “We are extremely happy to extend our route network with flights to London City Airport. This demonstrates our commitment to provide business travellers with viable routes to key financial centres. London City Airport is an important route into the UK’s main financial district and can also provide onward connections to Europe’s key commercial cities.”

Tom Flanagan, Cornwall Council’s Corporate Director for Environment, Planning and Economy, said: “Air Southwest’s fast connection between Cornwall and the heart of London is fantastic news for business travellers in the region. It underlines our pledge to improve air links to and from Cornwall and together with Air Southwest and the other airlines operating out of Newquay Cornwall Airport, we will continue to develop services suited to both leisure and business travellers.”

London City Airport is located six miles from the City and just three miles from Canary Wharf. The Docklands Light Railway operates services from the airport every 10 minutes, providing easy access to the whole of London. With Air Southwest’s new service, passengers travelling with just hand luggage can now check in up to 20 minutes before each flight (and as late as 15 minutes before at London City) enabling Cornwall’s business travellers to enjoy a full day in London.

Martin Brooks, newly appointed Chairman of the Cornwall Development Company commented: “These new services open up a strong new link to the business community in the heart of London and also bring a further boost to inbound tourism in Cornwall from a new, city-based sector.

“This London City service will revolutionise air travel between Cornwall and the capital,” said Peter Davies, Managing Director Air Southwest, said “We expect it to be hugely popular with business travellers and have timed the flights to fit with busy working lives.

“Day-return rail travel to the capital is costly and time-consuming. With the new London City service, business passengers will save hours of travelling time. It’s also ideal for a city-break in London and will help to increase inbound tourism to Cornwall.”

The flights will operate twice daily, Monday to Friday, with one flight on a Sunday. Seats are on sale now at www.airsouthwest.com with prices starting from just £29 each way including taxes, charges and hold baggage.

- Ends -

Editor’s notes:

Cornwall Airport Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Cornwall County Council, which assumed operational management of Newquay Cornwall Airport on 1 April 07, gained its CAA license on 19 December 2008 after completing its transition project to convert the airfield from military to civilian operations.

In 2008, Newquay Cornwall Airport was the fastest growing regional airport in the UK and 8th fastest growing airport in Europe. This summer, the Airport will offer 19 destinations throughout the UK, Ireland and the EU operated by eight airlines:

Air Southwest: Bristol, Cork, Dublin, Glasgow, Leeds/Bradford, London Gatwick, London City Airport, Manchester, Newcastle

Skybus: Isles of Scilly, St. Brieuc (Brittany)

Flybe: Edinburgh, *new* London Gatwick, Isle of Man

Ryanair: Alicante, London Stansted

Jet2.com: *new* Belfast International, *new* Leeds/Bradford

Lufthansa: Dusseldorf

Bmibaby: *new* Birmingham, Manchester

Falcon Travel: Zurich (Charter)