Eastern Airways to launch Southampton - Dublin route
Image courtesy Eastern Airways
By reconnecting the airport with the Irish capital Dublin, which is a former Flybe route, Eastern Airways as the UK’s regional airline is expanding the number of routes it operates from Southampton to seven. Commencing with an initial daily round-trip, the frequency will increase quickly as demand increases following the return to air travel following the reduced Covid-19 travel restrictions and return of business and leisure travel.
As services to Belfast City, Leeds-Bradford, Manchester, Newcastle and Teesside are already offered by Eastern Airways, adding Dublin with further new routes to follow compliments the operators developing Southampton base of 72-seat ATR72-600 aircraft. As Covid-19 travel restrictions reduce, all routes will see increasing frequencies and the addition of weekend services.
Southampton-Manchester returns to twice-daily from 3rd August and Southampton-Newcastle from 7th September as initial increases in the coming weeks.
The airline has based aircraft at Southampton Airport, including Embraer and the latest ATR 72-600 aircraft and intends over time to have up to five located there.
Roger Hage, Eastern Airways’ General Manager Commercial & Operations, said: “We are delighted to confirm a start date for the Southampton – Dublin route launch of 17th August, which is now bookable, as we restore this important trade and leisure link between the south coast of England and Ireland’s capital. We are beginning to help increase accessibility to Southampton as we have already reintroduced a number of other routes from the airport, increasing frequency and will also add further new services as we establish a five aircraft base.
Steve Szalay, Operations Director for Southampton Airport, said: “Dublin has long been a destination in high demand by our passengers. We are delighted that Eastern Airways is opening this route from Southampton Airport, once again demonstrating how crucial regional airports are in providing vital connectivity across the UK.”
Following Eastern Airways’ former franchise partner, Flybe, entering administration, Eastern has continued to operate its scheduled services independently and support the return of services at Southampton, a long-established base for Eastern Airways.
The Humberside Airport-based carrier offers a network of routes from airports including Aberdeen, Alicante, Anglesey, Belfast City, Cardiff, Dublin, Humberside, Isle of Man, Leeds Bradford, London City, Manchester, Newcastle, Newquay, Southampton and Teesside International.
