Cornwall Airport Newquay has today announced that the vital air link to Manchester will be reinstated from October this year, with a second airline also operating the route from March 2021. Eastern Airways will begin operating the service from 23rd October, flying four times per week throughout the winter increasing to a daily service next summer. Scottish Airline Loganair, which had recently announced plans to provide four other vital links from the airport, including Edinburgh, Glasgow, Newcastle and Aberdeen, will be commencing daily services from next March.
The Manchester route, which was previously operated by Flybe, is one of the Airport’s most important connections, and has been one of the key objectives of the Airport’s recovery strategy since the collapse of Flybe earlier this year.
Pete Downes, Managing Director at Cornwall Airport Newquay, commented: "We’re extremely pleased be able to announce that we have secured two regional airlines to operate services between Newquay and Manchester. The UK aviation industry continues to face significant challenges as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and in that context, this news a fantastic vote of confidence in our airport and in Cornwall. The route serves as a vital year-round link for business travel as well as the leisure and tourism sector. As such, it’s a route that customers have consistently been asking us to bring back since the airport reopened in July, and I’m delighted that we’ve been able to work with our airline partners to deliver this key priority."
Cornwall Council cabinet portfolio holder for transport Geoff Brown also commented: “This is great news and a tribute to the team at Cornwall Airport Newquay who are working tirelessly to ensure that our airport recovers and grows. The airport has seen a positive response from passengers since commercial operations reopened in July, welcoming over 7,000 passengers through its doors. This latest good news is another sign of the confidence that the airlines are clearly showing in wanting to be part of the growth and success of Cornwall Airport Newquay and we look forward to even more joining in the future.”