Scotland’s Airline Loganair today announced a significant new partnership with Stobart Group.
The partnership involves Loganair operating services from the newly-renamed Carlisle Lake District Airport (CLDA).
Loganair will operate eight flights per-day across the working week and a total of 12 at weekends, connecting Cumbria and the Lake District, which receives 45 million visitors per year, to the three destinations.
The service to London Southend will operate at times convenient for both business and leisure travellers allowing for full day returns with two flights a day Monday to Friday, one on Saturday and two on Sunday.
Dublin will have a daily service each day of the week and Belfast City will also be served daily, excluding Saturday.
Prices will start at £44.99 to London Southend and Dublin, and £39.99 to Belfast. All Loganair fares include 20kg of luggage and inflight refreshments as standard.
Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership has committed £4.95m to the development of CLDA, and the services will be the first commercial and business flights from Carlisle since 1993.
Services to and from CLDA will be flown by 34-seater Saab 340s, the mainstay of Loganair’s fleet.
Loganair managing director Jonathan Hinkles said: “We’re both delighted and honoured to become the first operator at the new Carlisle Lake District Airport, and this partnership with Stobart will open up Loganair’s services to a whole new range of customers.
“With frequent services on each of the three routes, we have every confidence that these new flights will transform access to and from the Lake District for many thousands of customers each year, as well as serving areas like the South West of Scotland.”
“This move highlights Loganair’s growing reputation as an airline that consistently looks for ways to develop into new markets and we are confident that its brand will travel well south of the border.”
The routes to and from Carlisle will go on sale from today with all services commencing on June 4.
Stobart Group’s head of corporate projects Kate Willard said: “Stobart Group is committed to delivering a brilliant air travel experience across the UK and Ireland. We are therefore delighted to be announcing flights with Loganair connecting London, Belfast and Dublin with Carlisle and the Lake District.
“There is huge demand from London, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland to visit Carlisle, which is home to major businesses and serves as a gateway to the Lake District, two UNSCO World Heritage Sites and South Scotland.”
