Cardiff Airport has secured CityJet service to operate its Glasgow and Paris (Orly) routes, immediately filling the slot left by Flybe.
The move follows Flybe’s announcement on December 4 that it will be terminating these routes with effect from January 19 2014, on account of the reorganisation of its business.
CityJet, a part of the Air France airline group, offers over 680 flights a week to popular destinations in the UK, Ireland and mainland Europe.
CityJet is to start serving the routes on January 20, 2014, ensuring a seamless transition for the services from the Welsh capital. Initially, CityJet will deliver a twice daily weekday service to Glasgow with daily weekend flights. Paris will be served by a daily flight Monday to Friday and on Sundays.
Staring March 30, flights to Edinburgh and Jersey will be added. Edinburgh will be served three times a day Monday to Friday with one flight on Saturdays and two on Sundays. Jersey will be served with five weekly return flights. The summer schedule will also see a third daily flight added to the Glasgow route on Thursdays and Fridays, whilst Paris (Orly) will then be served daily.
By the middle of summer, CityJet will be operating more than 80 flights a week in and out of Cardiff Airport.
Christine Ourmieres, CityJet’s Chief Executive, said: ‘We’re very excited to be launching a dynamic new network from Cardiff, and are thrilled to introduce the CityJet service to Wales. We are confident that our network and schedule to these four new destinations will be a success – both for the Welsh community and for CityJet.
Cardiff Airport’s Chief Executive, Jon Horne, said: ‘We’re very pleased that there will be continuity in our services to Glasgow and Paris for the tens of thousands of passengers a year for whom these routes are vital.
‘It is always good to welcome a new airline to Cardiff; in CityJet’s case it’s really great, given the scale of the commitment they have made to the Airport and to Wales.’
Cardiff Airport’s Chairman, Lord Rowe-Beddoe, commented: ‘This is excellent news. We are delighted to welcome CityJet to Cardiff and to Wales. I am proud that the management team has succeeded in securing a new airline to fill the breach left by Flybe. The speed with which this has been achieved is testament to management’s commitment to ensuring the Airport’s success.’
Tickets will be available for sale from January 8, 2014 at www.cityjet.com.
