New routes lost due to lack of interest

PLANS to operate flights between City of Derry airport and two routes on the mainland have been suspended due to lack of interest.

The two new routes - Manchester and Edinburgh - were announced by Aer Arann on March 1 and both the airport authority and the airline expected them to perform well.

Unfortunately, despite the perceived interest, bookings for the routes have been very poor and the decision had to be taken to suspend the services, said the operator, which admitted that passenger loads booked on some flights were in single figures.

All intending passengers who have booked on the routes will be contacted by Aer Arann and they will receive full refunds.

The two routes were to begin on May 20 with six flights a week between City of Derry and Edinburgh and daily flights between City of Derry and Manchester. However, forward bookings over the summer proved to be very weak, said Aer Arann “with flights over the first weeks of the services booked only to single digit load factors”.

“We sincerely regret suspending the route at this point but we must act in the overall interests of all of our customers and the airline,” said Aer Arann Corporate Affairs Director Andrew Kelly.

Aer Arann said it is happy to consider re-opening these routes and other possible routes from City of Derry in the future, perhaps when there is more recovery in the economy and when they can be deemed commercially viable.

The airline’s double daily service between City of Derry and Dublin will continue to operate.