Norwich has attracted a lot of interest in terms of bids for the regional air connectivity fund
Flybe: Dublin - Twice daily on weekdays and once daily on weekends from 1st April 2016 Exeter - Daily from 1st April 2016 Paris CDG - Daily from 1st April 2016
Linkair Newcastle - Twice daily on weekdays from 1st September 2015
Aside from the existing NQY/DND funding, the fund seems to have been scrapped as part of this week's government spending cuts
Savings of £16m are made by not subsidising further regional air links – the kind of money that has kept planes going to Newquay and Dundee (whose flights stay protected).
The fund hasn't been scrapped for new routes. All the NWI applications have been shortlisted
Five RCA regional routes considered for Department of Transport support
Five regional air routes out of Norwich and City Of Derry Airports are to be considered for government support.
Following an announcement today by the Department for Transport, scheduled flights between Norwich and Paris, Dublin, Newcastle and Exeter are in contention for funding from the Regional Air Connectivity Fund.
The route between City of Derry and Dublin is also being considered for support.
Andrew Bell, who heads up RCA( Regional and City Airports) the airport management division of Rigby Group PLC, whose airports include Norwich, Exeter and City of Derry, said:
“We are delighted that RCA has 5 out of the 15 live applications put through to the next stage for consideration for Government support as part of the Regional Air Connectivity Fund. Regional airports like the ones we own and manage play a critical role, not only in their regional economies but also from a wider national perspective in connecting parts of the UK as well as providing important options for international travel.”