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Eastern Airways wins tender to fly from London to Newquay

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After a convoluted and drawn out bidding process, Eastern Airways has won the tender to run subsidised flights from London Gatwick to Cornwall Airport Newquay.

British Airways operates a Summer service from Heathrow to Newquay, but the local authority was willing to offer financial support to an airline which would operate year-round from London.

Flybe operated a Heathrow to Newquay service on similar terms and British Airways stepped in for a short period after Flybe went into receivership.

The service will start in December. There will initially be one flight per day, increasing to two per day in February and three per day in Summer 2022.

It will use a 72-seat ATR72 turboprop aircraft. Whilst this will result in a slower flight than using a jet aircraft, the smaller capacity should ensure that the route is viable even in the quiet Winter months.

Category

General

Comments (33)

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

  • Lady London says:
    16 Nov16 November 16:22

    Do you get to keep the books if you dont go beyond the 3 months on Audible?

  • Anon says:
    16 Nov16 November 17:27

    The only people who benefit from a Gatwick-Newquay service are people who live near Gatwick who want to go to Newquay and people from Newquay who want to go to somewhere near Gatwick.

    For most people in London who want to go to Cornwall then driving or train makes more sense. Likewise for people living in Cornwall wanting to come to London, train or driving makes most sense.

    So it’s basically a service for people who live in Brighton who want a sandy beach and some proper waves.

    • Brighton Belle says:
      16 Nov16 November 18:59

      You’re right about the beach and I qualify. But if I squirt 270 kg into the air by plane rather than take the train I am fish food on return,

    • Andrew says:
      16 Nov16 November 20:44

      Somewhere near Gatwick like London?

      It’s half an hour on the train from Gatwick. It’s 5 hours with a change in the middle of nowhere from Newquay to London on the train and then you end up in Paddington.

      Even driving it’s 5 hours to do 254 miles.

  • Matthew says:
    16 Nov16 November 17:58

    You could have got some bonus points Rob by posting a pic of an ATR72! Nevermind 😂

    • ADS says:
      17 Nov17 November 11:56

      good point! although the Saab is a prettier plane!!

      also, I’m not sure the flight time will be noticeably slower using a turboprop rather than a jet on such a short route. the reduction in cabin baggage allowance will probably be more inconvenient.

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