Eastern Airways launching Leeds Bradford Airport - Newquay route

Image courtesy Eastern Airways

The UK regional airline will introduce the new service on Thursday 9th July with flights operating daily Monday to Friday into Cornwall Airport Newquay. Flights will take just over an hour, providing a quick and easy way to get to some of the UK’s best summer beaches. This replaces a route formerly operated by Flybe.

Last week the airline confirmed it is resuming flying across the UK, including restarting its Leeds Bradford - Southampton route on Monday 29 June initially as a daily weekday service, with frequency increased accordingly through July, August and September.

Roger Hage, Eastern Airways’ General Manager Commercial & Operations, said: “As a UK regional airline, our business is to connect the various business and tourism sectors which are vital to the economic recovery of the UK. We’re extremely pleased to serve Newquay re-establishing a link from Leeds Bradford at a time when UK travel begins to return for the summer peak. Our service will save valuable travel time connecting the Cornish coast with Yorkshire.”

Joanna Wild, Chief Commercial Officer for Leeds Bradford Airport, said: “We’re delighted to be supporting Eastern Airways in starting its flights to Newquay from July. This complements the resumption of its flights to Southampton starting this month, and re-establishes an important link between England’s south coast and the North.

“We’re looking forward to welcoming travellers and holidaymakers at our airport in the coming months, and we’re working closely with Eastern Airways, as well as other industry partners, to ensure the wellbeing of all staff and passengers.”

Pete Downes, Managing Director, Cornwall Airport Newquay, added: “We’re delighted that Eastern Airways will be launching a further new service between Cornwall Airport Newquay and Leeds-Bradford this summer. Given the long distance and journey time of existing transport modes, improving air connectivity between Cornwall and the North of England is vitally important in supporting the recovery of our visitor economy and wider business community, not just as lockdown restrictions begin to ease, but over the long term. We look forward to working with Eastern to make the route a success for the region.”

As Covid-19 restrictions begin to ease, services will be carefully re-introduced with extensive cleaning measures on-board and throughout all aspects of the airport. A full anti-bacterial wipe down of all touch points between every service operated and also a comprehensive aircraft night-stop sanitisation will be implemented.

Initially Eastern Airways’ usual complimentary on-board service will be limited to facilitate reduced customer contact. The health, well-being and safety of all customers and staff is a priority throughout the journey including airports and on-board the aircraft.

The independent operator was formed in 1997 and had moved quickly, prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, to return back to its own standalone booking facilities after its former franchise partner, Flybe, went into administration earlier in March.

The Humberside Airport based carrier provides a network of routes from airports including Aberdeen, Alicante, Anglesey, Belfast City, Cardiff, Dublin, Humberside, Isle of Man, Leeds Bradford, London City, Manchester, Newcastle, Southampton, Teesside International and Wick John O’Groats.