Flybe is poised to launch two new routes from Newcastle on November 7.
One of these will go to Belfast City and the other, which is probably of more interest to our readers, will head to London Heathrow. Flights for both routes are now open for booking.
Only last Friday Business Traveller reported on how Flybe was having to cancel its Isle of Man services owing, ostensibly, to aircraft shortage. One wonders from where the aircraft has been found.
Flybe will operate once a day between Newcastle and London Heathrow, between Monday and Friday.
Timings are:
BE655 Newcastle-London Heathrow 1550-1720
BE656 London Heathrow-Newcastle 1805-1935
Flybe faces a challenge on this route, having to compete with British Airways’ multiple jet flights but also (when travelling downtown-downtown) with train operators LNER and Lumo.
LNER, for example, operates half-hourly during the day with a journey time of under three hours.
Of course this single flight does offer connections. Flybe, however, does not codeshare with BA and, at time of writing, it would mean travellers having to use separate tickets which is a risk.
What about Belfast City?
The airport is served once daily throughout the week. Schedules vary and the single flight can be in the morning or the afternoon/evening depending on the direction of travel.
As for Newcastle-London this is not the first time Flybe has offered the route.
Its previous attempt at serving the capital involved flying into London City and this route eventually failed.