Wednesday, November 11, 2015

News: Region's businesses set to soar with new airport routes

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The transformational deal between Flybe and Robin Hood Airport Doncaster Sheffield, the regional airport for the Sheffield city region, includes new routes to two major European hub airports, opening up connections to the world.

Last week, airport bosses announced that Flybe, Europe's largest regional airline, will base two 118-seat Embraer 195 jet aircraft at the airport with services starting from the end of March 2016.

The eight new routes have now been announced which will see some 44 departures per week and almost half a million seats on the new routes in their first year of operation.

The new routes are Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin, Jersey, Newquay, Malaga, Alicante and Faro.

13 weekly flights are set for Paris' Charles De Gaule airport with daily flights to Amsterdam Schipol and four weekly flights to Berlin Tegel.

These new routes will connect businesses in the Sheffield City Region to three of the six largest economies in Europe (Germany, France and The Netherlands) with all three markets in the top four trade partners that Yorkshire has.

Steve Gill, managing director of Doncaster Sheffield Airport, said: "This is fantastic news for the Sheffield City Region. Flybe will be taking passengers to eight destinations from the end of March 2016.

"The routes include two hub feeder services to Paris and Amsterdam which offers global connectivity. This will benefit businesses from across the region and this new wave of connectivity will take the airport and the city region to the next level.

"We have worked extremely closely with the Flybe team to ensure that the route network meets the needs of the region."

Martin McKervey, private sector board member of the Sheffield City Region LEP, added: "The LEP have firmly recognised the importance of Doncaster Sheffield Airport as a strategic asset to the city region within our growth plan.

"Along with the local authorities and private sector partners including the Peel Group, the LEP have fought and won the case for FARRRss / The Gateway to the Sheffield City Region Project and are now just a few months away from seeing that project complete.

"It is fantastic to see the growth of services to places such as Amsterdam, Berlin and Paris along with ability to connect globally means that in Doncaster Sheffield we have an airport that is firmly delivering on its potential."

With the £60m new FARRS motorway link road about to open, journey times between the airport and Sheffield will be reduced to 25 minutes and some 15-20 minutes will be knocked off most journeys.

The new routes mean that Doncaster Sheffield Airport will be experiencing double-digit growth in 2016 with the additional seats and growth from other incumbent carriers expected to take passenger figures from 900,000 in 2015 to 1.35 million in 2016.

Having instigated a three-year restructuring plan after struggling with mounting costs, Flybe reported its latest financial results today which showed that group revenues were up 10% to £339.6m for the six months to September 30, which led to a £22.9m profit compared to a £3.3m loss in the same period last year.

One major issue for the listed company was the surplus of E195 jets, which has ultimately benefited DSA Airport with Flybe's decision to locate two aircraft in the city region.

Robin Hood Airport Doncaster Sheffield website

Images: Flybe

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