Today (22 November 2018) speaking in the House of Commons, the
Secretary of State for Transport announced that people across the
South West will benefit from a new direct air route between
Newquay and Heathrow Airport from April 2019.
This new service builds on the government’s commitment of joining
the nations and regions of the UK with Heathrow Airport. The
introduction of 4 new daily return flights between Cornwall and
Heathrow will ensure passengers now have even greater range of
choice for when and where to fly.
Regional airports like Cornwall Airport Newquay play an important
role, delivering domestic and international connections that help
passengers travel further and link businesses to global trade
partners.
The public service obligation which allows this route to run is
jointly funded by a government and Cornwall Council initiative
and will give passengers a choice of more than 200 destinations
across 85 countries. The new flights will replace existing
services that operate between Cornwall Airport Newquay and
Gatwick Airport.
Airlines flying to any UK destination from Heathrow will
continue to benefit from £15 discount on airport charges, making
it cheaper to fly within the UKthan ever before. This is just one
element in a package of measures Heathrow is implementing to
support more domestic flights within the UK.
This new route is a clear example of the government’s own
ambitions as it works to ensure all regions of
the UK are well
served by airports and routes to the rest of the country.
Transport Secretary said:
The government has been clear that maintaining and enhancing
air routes that help bring together the UK, is one of the key benefits of any
expansion at Heathrow.
This new route will see the people of the south-west profit
from a direct connection into our national hub airport even
before it expands, building on the government’s ongoing
commitment to the Newquay route, protecting choice and
strengthening trade and travel opportunities for the
whole UK.
Cornwall Airport Newquay’s Managing Director, Al Titterington,
said:
We have been working for many years to make sure that Cornwall
Airport Newquay has direct access to Europe’s busiest hub, and
with this new service it opens not just a connection to
the UK’s leading
gateway, but also the world.
By having direct flights to Heathrow, it grows the strength of
Newquay and Cornwall’s brand abroad, which is great for the
local business community and those wanting to visit our
beautiful county.
John Holland Kaye, CEO at Heathrow airport
said:
We are delighted to secure a more regular service to Newquay,
connecting exporters from Cornwall to global markets through
Heathrow and making it easier for inward investors, tourists
and students from all over the world to get there.
Following the successful launch in 2016 of an Inverness
service, the UK’s 2
furthest mainland airports will now be connected to
the UK’s biggest port.
Cornwall Council’s Leader Adam Paynter said:
This sends a strong message that Cornwall is open for business.
Having 4 direct flights a day to Europe’s busiest airport
provides us with fantastic links and more regular access not
just to London, but also to the rest of the world.
The new agreement will help businesses plan ahead as well as
creating more opportunities to do business across the globe.
This service will provide connections directly to 160 of the
globe’s most economically important cities, unlocking
opportunities for tourism and trade.
This will further enable Cornwall to do business with the rest
of the world – and the rest of the world to do business with
Cornwall.
