Article from BTNews 26 AUGUST 2019
Loganair lands Derry PSO route
People in Derry-Londonderry will continue to enjoy the benefits of direct flights to London thanks to renewed funding from the UK government, transport secretary Grant Shapps said last week.
The public service obligation (PSO) route has been awarded to Loganair after the government, in partnership with the Department for the Economy in Northern Ireland, said it would continue to subsidise it, with a switch from Stansted to Southend Airport.
Shapps added: “I’m backing this route because I understand how important these daily direct flights linking London and Northern Ireland are. Whether it brings businesses together or reunites loved ones, it will enhance connections across the UK.”
He added the public service obligation protected “an important route which provides a valuable connection for businesses in the region”, maintaining 26 flights per week on a 49-seat aircraft.
Loganair managing director Jonathan Hinkles said: “We are delighted to have been awarded this route – extending Loganair’s excellent long-standing relationship with Derry, where we were the first airline operator more than 40 years ago.
“London Southend is a highly convenient entry point to England’s capital and the South East, serviced by its own dedicated train station only 100 steps from the airport terminal and up to six direct trains an hour to London in just over 50min.”
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