Press Information

 16th February 2010

 

FLYBE OPENS UP GARDEN OF ENGLAND

<Leading regional airline announces brand new Manston to Edinburgh route with

                                    first scheduled daily service from Kent airport>

 

 

Flybe, the UK’s Number One Domestic Airline, has today announced another brand new route namely a daily Edinburgh to Manston service that, apart from opening up the Garden of England to the Scottish market also offers Kent based travellers the opportunity to take advantage of the convenience of using their local airport.

 

Tickets are on sale now at www.flybe.com from £24.99 one way including taxes and charges for travel effective May 27th through to 30th October. The new route, with a flight time of just 80 minutes, will be operated by Flybe’s fuel efficient 78- seat Bombardier Q-400 turboprop aircraft.

 

The announcement further reinforces Flybe’s commitment to offering an extensive choice of convenient, affordable regional travel.

 

Mike Rutter, Flybe’s Chief Commercial Officer says: “We’re delighted to be adding this new service to the South East from Edinburgh and also to being the first carrier to offer Kent travellers a scheduled service out of Kent International.  It also reflects our commitment to continued growth from our Edinburgh base and also to our development into new regions.”

 

Edinburgh Airport has welcomed the news with Gordon Dewar, Managing Director, commenting:  "The creation of this route underlines Edinburgh's attraction as a destination in the domestic UK market and we're excited that Flybe has picked up on the demand to create a link between Scotland's Capital and the South of England.

 

"Flybe is one of the largest carriers at Edinburgh and has assisted us in becoming the UK's fastest growing airport. We value that relationship and look forward to working with them on further routes and other mutual development."

 

Kent International Airport is located in east Kent, just a couple of miles from the popular seaside destinations of Margate, Broadstairs and Ramsgate and within easy reach of picturesque Whitstable, historic Canterbury with its world famous cathedral and, of course, Dover’s iconic White Cliffs.

 

Matt Clarke, Chief Executive of Kent International Airport, adds: “I’m sure this route will be hugely popular with people in Kent because Edinburgh is such a great place to visit with its history, culture and, of course, its world-famous festivals.”

 

Looking forward to welcoming Scottish visitors to Kent, he added: “Flying to Kent International is a hassle free way to arrive in south east England. Our airport is easy to get to, easy to find your way around and allows passengers to enjoy flying the way it’s meant to be – boarding an aircraft merely metres from where you have parked your car.”

 

Flybe offers passengers a quality range of benefits that includes per-assigned seating, Premium Economy travel with dedicated Executive Lounges, a generous Rewards4all loyalty programme as well as onward travel to an attractive choice of destinations from Edinburgh with flights operated by its franchise partner, Loganair.

 

Mr Rutter concludes: “We expect our new route to be popular both with business travellers and with those planning their holidays or weekends away and wanting their budgets to go as far as possible and we’d advise people to book early to take advantage of the lowest possible fares.”

 

DAILY SCHEDULE:

Sundays and Monday – Friday

 

Saturday

ENDS

For further press information, photography or to arrange an interview, please contact the Flybe press office: T: 0845 675 0681 E: pressoffice@flybe.com

Kent International Contact : Richard Coleman at Maxim PR Tel: 01892 513033

E-mail: richard@maxim-pr.co.uk

Editors’ Notes:

·         Flybe is one of Europe's largest and most successful regional airlines with 196 routes serving 13 countries, operating from a total of 69 departure points, 37 UK and 32 European airports (on sale for Winter ‘09/Summer ’10)

·         Flybe is the UK’s Number One Domestic Airline - carrying more UK domestic passengers than any other airline; carrying more domestic passengers at London Gatwick than any other airline and operating over four times more domestic routes than any other airline (CAA statistics – April-Dec 09)

·         Flybe won both Best Short-Haul Airline and Best Environmental accolades at the 2010 Business Travel Awards. Other recent awards include: Air Transport World’s 2009 Regional Airline of the Year; Aviation Week’s Overhaul & Maintenance (O&M) European Airline MRO of the Year (Flybe’s aircraft maintenance division); the ‘Most Environmentally and Socially Responsible Budget Airline’ Award at The British Travel Awards 2009 for the second year running; and the 2008 Regional Leadership Award at the Global Airline Strategy Awards

·         Flybe is the largest scheduled airline, measured by air traffic movements, at Belfast City, Birmingham, Cardiff, Exeter, Inverness, the Isle of Man, Jersey, Manchester and Southampton airports (CAA statistics – Dec 09)

·         Flybe’s new Training Academy in Exeter is scheduled to open in 2010

·         Flybe launched the aviation industry’s first ever eco labelling scheme in 2007

·         Flybe offers the UK’s first low cost customer loyalty scheme open to all passengers Rewards4all

·         Flybe signed a landmark franchise Agreement with Loganair, the Scottish regional airline, in January 2008– the first of its kind ever for a low cost carrier

 

Kent International Airport: