Flybe to set up at Newcastle Airport
From the Newcastle Journal : Jan 31 2008
"A HUGE airline investment is set to create more than 1,000 jobs as Europe’s largest regional carrier takes up base at Newcastle Airport. Flybe has saved Newcastle’s route to London Gatwick after buying landing slots.
Mike Rutter - Flybe said “The establishment of a base at Newcastle will itself create 125 jobs and when we hit our passenger target of one million in the next two years, that will support 1,000 jobs. It will mean the creation of highly skilled jobs like pilots, cabin crew and engineering staff. And then there will be knock-on jobs in support services, ground handling and so on.”
Flybe will also be offering direct flights to Aberdeen six days a week and a weekly summer service to Rennes in France. And it is also adding a number of services to cities on the continent including Stuttgart and Frankfurt in Germany, and destinations across Scandinavia due to be announced in the next 18 months.
Mr Rutter said: “I believe the Northumberland coast was one of the top places to visit in the Lonely Planet handbooks. And this new development opens up a new tourist market with people wanting to visit from Germany and France, and our airline has the quality to provide a service to attract these people."
Flybe will also be bringing in three to four new Ł29m aircraft to support the new investment, costing a combined total of up to Ł116m.