Last route at airport axed

One of the country’s regional airports is facing an uncertain future following the decision by UK carrier Flybe to cancel the only remaining route using the facility.

Management at Waterford Airport have reacted with dismay to the move by Flybe to cancel its Birmingham-Waterford service from next March, following the suspension of its Manchester route last October, describing it as “incomprehensible”.

If the airport doesn’t secure alternative business in the meantime, it will be left with no commercial services once Flybe pulls out in the coming months.

Aer Lingus Regional, previously known as Aer Arann, withdrew from Waterford in 2012 taking the airport’s London route with it, leaving Flybe the only airline offering services at the regional airport.

The shock cancellation came in the same week that Waterford County Council granted permission to the airport to extend its runway, a €500,000 project which the facility hopes will make it a more attractive destination for other airlines.

It’s understood Flybe didn’t officially notify Waterford Airport of its decision to pull out, with staff and management only becoming aware on Thursday when customers realised they couldn’t book flights to and from Birmingham after March 20 of next year.

The airport said it was “dismayed” by the Flybe decision, which has operated the Birmingham route since March 2012 and a Manchester service since May 2013.

“We are obviously very, very disappointed at the discontinuation of the scheduled passenger service linking Waterford with Birmingham and onward destinations in the UK and Europe,” CEO Desmond O’Flynn said.

“It is important to underline this comes in the context of Flybe ceasing nine Birmingham routes as they restructure for 2015, and has nothing to do with the performance of the route per se, where passenger numbers are actually up 17% year to date on last year. This result makes their decision all the more incomprehensible.”

Mr O’Flynn said there has been a 15% increase in passenger numbers flying through Waterford compared to 2013.

Flybe’s chief commercial officer Paul Simmons said the company has “a disciplined approach to the routes it operates,” meaning it continually reviews its network.