Flybe, a UK-based airline company, has announced the cancellation of its service between London Gatwick Airport and Aberdeen Airport, in Scotland.
The airline is currently offering a three times-daily service between the two airports, operating an Embraer aircraft. The last service will be on October 27, 2012.
In a statement the airline said, ‘Flybe carefully reviews the viability of all our 180 plus routes on a regular basis looking not only at passenger numbers but also at external cost pressures,’ said the company in a statement.
This is done not only to monitor where we can offer increased regularity on a given route but also where passenger numbers make a flight environmentally, as well as economically, harder to justify.
Unfortunately, after much consideration Flybe can confirm it is cancelling its Aberdeen to Gatwick route from the end of the IATA summer season on Sunday October 28.’
With the withdrawal of Flybe’s service, Easyjet, another UK based airline, will be the only carrier to serve the route. Easyjet also serve Aberdeen airport from London Luton Airport, and Aberdeen Airport is served by British Airways from both London Heathrow Airport and London City Airport.
Flybe has also given its support to the campaign against Air Passenger Duty (APD), which is to be implemented by the UK government, and expressed its support for publication of a report on Inquiry into Aviation Policy and Air Passenger Duty by the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG).
The government will charge APD to passengers flying out of the UK in an aircraft that has an authorised take-off weight of more than ten tonnes or more than twenty seats. Passengers have to pay the tax twice for a return journey, around an additional GBP26 for a return fare.
