Bid to bring back Dundee to London City flights set to be successful

Tay News understands flights from Dundee to London City airport will return by next spring, despite a new contract with London Stansted being announced by the Department for Transport.

Loganair will continue to run flights from the City of Discovery in 2020.

The original route to London City was stopped back in 2014 and recent research has found the majority of businesses in Tayside want to see a return to the capital's hub.

But we've been told an extension to London Stansted doesn't mean a return is off the table.

A London City Airport spokesperson said: "We believe the campaign to create a route from Dundee to London City Airport has been successful and we expect a further announcement by the end of the year.

"We understand the service will be moved to City airport by April 2020."

Alison Henderson’s the CEO of Dundee and Angus Chamber of commerce, which carried out a survery with Tayside businesses.

“We’ve got to recognise many travellers are looking for other destinations to be accessible from Dundee," she said.

“The vast majority of travellers would like to see airports like London City, Belfast and Birmingham on the departure boards.”

The Chamber of Commerce has 800 businesses which employ over 67,000 people.

She added: “A significant number of local businesses use London City and prefer London City.

“We know many are using other Scottish airports to travel there.

“More than three quarters of them are saying that they would prefer to see the Dundee to London City route back on the schedules.

“They also know a number of their customers would rather come into Dundee from London City.

“We’d really like to see Dundee become a hub – where people who are doing business come and stay in Dundee and access their Scottish customers from here.”

Meanwhile, Loganair will operate 11 trips a week to London Standsted and has committed to increasing the size of planes from a 33 seater aircraft to a 48 seats in May.

The announcement was made by UK Aviation Minister Paul Maynard:

“I am pleased to announce the extension of the London to Dundee route into 2020. This decision supports jobs and allows businesses to access global markets - as well as connecting friends and family.

“This is another example of how the UK Government is delivering for Dundee and the surrounding region.

“The renewal of funding is a clear demonstration of this Government’s commitment to strengthen the vital ties between Scotland and the rest of the UK and our ambition for a thriving economy across the whole of the UK.”

The route is supported by the Public Service Obligation, which protects routes that boost tourism, connects the UK and encourages economic growth, and backed by UK Government funding.

The Department for Transport did not comment on a return to London City Airport but a spokesperson said: "Any further changes on the London airport which the route will operate from would be announced later. "

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