Inverness Airport is taking off this week with the launch of new flights to London City and Dublin.
Europe’s largest regional airline Flybe has launched the new services as part of an expanded schedule from the Highland capital. The airline will fly twice daily to London City and daily to Dublin.
Existing services to Manchester will also be increased with a third daily departure to the city’s airport, a fast growing hub for Flybe.
Welcoming Flybe’s expansion, Inglis Lyon, MD of airport operator HIAL said: “The launch of new flights to London City is an important boost to Inverness Airport’s status as a hub for business travellers. Currently around a third of our customers travel on business and with direct access to the heart of London’s financial district, we are hopeful we can increase our share of this lucrative market. The new route offers local businesses fast, convenient access to the heart of London’s financial district, but is also ideal for leisure travellers as it’s well connected to the city centre and London’s fashionable east end. London is one of the world’s great capitals and the launch of a new direct link into the city is an important boost for a regional airport like Inverness.
“The new Dublin route also has great potential, both as an inbound and outbound destination. The Irish inbound market is worth almost £30 million to the Scottish economy and the Highlands can now claim a greater share of this valuable market thanks to the launch of direct flights. For outbound passengers, Dublin is the ideal gateway to the United States as it allows passengers to clear US immigration and border control checks at Dublin. This means connecting passengers arrive into the US as domestic arrivals, making Dublin one of the fastest and most convenient gateways into the US.”
Meanwhile, weekly winter flights to Europe’s ski capital Geneva are set to resume on 20 December. Flights will operate every Saturday until 28 March 2015.