UK-based airline Flybe has announced cancellation of the new route from Southampton to Hamburg, which was previously set to launch on Sunday, October 26, the Daily Echo has reported.
Flybe said that the flights between Southampton and Hamburg have been cancelled following a recent review that the route will not be commercially viable in winter. The planned daily service to the German port city, due to take off on Sunday, has been grounded until further notice. The airline is yet to officially announce a new start date for the service, but flights were last night available to book via their website from March 29, the report said.
A spokeswoman for the airline said: ‘As part of a recent review, the route has been deemed commercially unsustainable for the moment and we have taken the decision to suspend our plans to operate flights between Southampton and Hamburg this winter.
‘Passengers who have booked to fly on this route will be contacted and offered an alternative flight or a full refund. We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.’
Southampton Airport, which has removed Hamburg from the destinations map on their website, said that the route will be reinstated next summer.
Airport managing director Dave Lees said: ‘The route to Hamburg has been postponed until the start of summer 2015, which aligns more closely with leisure and business travel patterns.’
The new route was welcomed by business leaders as well as general tourists when it was announced in June.
County council leader Roy Perry said: ‘Southampton Airport is a very important facility and we are always pleased to see the development of connections with other European cities. It’s disappointing if this route is to be lost and we would hope that the airport would look at reinstating it.’
Stewart Dunn, chief executive of Hampshire Chamber of Commerce, said: ‘I understand that it’s merely been delayed but they hope to start it in the spring.’
