Eastern Airways to offer flights to London, starting next month
https://cornwallreports.co.uk/cornwa...ng-next-month/
Eastern Airways has won the four-year Public Service Obligation contract, which will start on 2nd December. The costs of the subsidy will be shared between Cornwall Council and the Department for Transport.
The council will pay Eastern Airways £439,000 per year.
The new service will operate one flight per day until 9th January, and then two flights per day until 30th June. Between 1st July and 31st August there will be three flights per day.
County Hall’s director of infrastructure, Nigel Blacker, said two airlines had submitted tenders but only one met the council’s requirements.
“The preferred tender from Eastern Airways will provide for a rebuilding of the route after the COVID-19 Pandemic,” he said. “This tender is unlikely to reach the former patronage levels of 180,000 passengers per annum but is predicted to deliver over 130,000 passenger
County Hall’s director of infrastructure, Nigel Blacker, said two airlines had submitted tenders but only one met the council’s requirements.
“The preferred tender from Eastern Airways will provide for a rebuilding of the route after the COVID-19 Pandemic,” he said. “This tender is unlikely to reach the former patronage levels of 180,000 passengers per annum but is predicted to deliver over 130,000 passengers per annum by 2025 and the capacity for more if travel market conditions change more quickly than predicted.
“The route will initially start at the beginning of December 2021 and, if demand allows, for twice daily flights to London Gatwick building up to flights three times per day from summer 2022 falling back to twice per day in September and October 2022. The route will follow this service pattern until the end of the contract in October 2025.”