Blow for Cork Airport as airline plans to axe Gatwick service

Cork Airport has received a further blow to its international connectivity as Aer Lingus plans to axe a twice-daily service to Gatwick.

The announcement came yesterday, just 24 hours after Irish Tenors’ star Finbar Wright said the lack of access was costing the southern region millions of euro in lost tourism revenue.

Cork Chamber chief executive Conor Healy said he was “very disappointed” at the airline’s decision to close the service next month.

“It is a very important connection to a major London airport. This will reduce travel options for business people and leisure users. While I know Ryanair will continue to operate the route this will reduce competition,” Mr Healy said.

“This was not just a point to point route but (Gatwick) provided people with significant onward connectivity. Therefore it’s a significant reduction in service to a major international airport,” Mr Healy said.

A spokeswoman for Cork Airport said: “It’s our understanding Aer Lingus is ending their Gatwick-Cork service at the end of the summer season. The route will continue to be served by Ryanair.”

Aer Lingus started the twice daily service on Mar 6, 2010.

At the time, Cork Airport marketing manager Kevin Cullinane said it represented a great boost for Cork.

“It is a major vote of confidence in the Cork region. I am sure the announcement will be welcomed by the travelling public as well as by our region’s tourism and business communities. Cork Airport has always sought to provide its customers with a choice of airlines and destinations and this announcement is a further step in achieving this,” Mr Cullinane said at the time.

An Aer Lingus spokeswoman said as part of its normal business practice, the entire route network is subject to continuous review.

“In line with this review, the Cork to Gatwick service will be discontinued from the end of the summer schedule, effective from Oct 26. Aer Lingus will continue to provide extensive connectivity to London with four daily flights between Cork and London Heathrow throughout the winter schedule.”

The spokeswoman added that the recently launched Cork to Brussels service will be extended to operate four weekly flights during the winter schedule. She said the new service, launched last March, has proved very popular with customers.