Southampton airport - new route.

14 May 2009

The independent carrier, which is consistently one of the UK’s best on-time performers*, will launch three flights each weekday from Southampton International Airport to Liverpool from 6 July 2009.

As part of today’s announcement, the airline will also be increasing the number of flights from Southampton to Aberdeen from three to five services each weekday starting from 6 July 2009.

The new Liverpool services offer business travellers the flexibility and choice of day return flights, saving them valuable time. Flights are not only expected to appeal to south coast business travellers heading to Merseyside, but also Cheshire, Lancashire and North Wales.

Liverpool has many cultural attractions and was named European Capital of Culture 2008. Like Southampton, it’s renowned for its maritime history, but will be forever linked with music’s world famous Fab Four - The Beatles. It’s also the gateway to many industries in the region, including oil, gas, petrochemical, pharmaceutical, finance, engineering and manufacturing sectors.

Weekday services will depart Southampton at 9.30am, 3pm and 5.50pm, arriving in Liverpool at 10.20am, 4pm and 6.50pm. Flights take off from Liverpool at 8.10am, 4.20pm and 8.10pm, landing in Southampton at 9am, 5.20pm and 9.10pm.

“Launching our first scheduled flights to and from Liverpool is a major milestone,” said Chris Holliday, Eastern Airways’ chief operating officer. “We’re providing the fastest link from Southampton to Liverpool, which is significantly quicker than alternative road and rail journeys. By offering three flights each weekday, business travellers will be able to spend a day in North West England or North Wales without the need for overnight accommodation.

“We’re also enhancing our services from Southampton to Aberdeen with five flights a day, providing greater flexibility and even more choice for business and leisure travellers.”

Southampton International Airport’s director of marketing & communications, Jan Halliday, said: “"This is great news for businesses in the south of England who can be linked quickly and easily to Liverpool and Aberdeen. The new route between Southampton and Liverpool brings together two famous maritime regions, both of which have strong industrial, social and educational links.

"This is also an ideal option for people from Liverpool who want to do business in the south. In addition it is likely to be popular with people from the north west of England who want to breeze through to the cruise liners setting sail from Southampton."

Eastern Airways has provided scheduled services from Southampton since 2003 and serves major cities including Leeds, Newcastle and Aberdeen.

Passengers flying with Eastern Airways can check-in just 30 minutes before departure and have access to a dedicated fast track security channel at Southampton to avoid any queues.

Fares from Southampton to Liverpool start from £69 one way, including taxes and charges.

Eastern Airways operates over 800 flights a week from 16 airports including Aberdeen, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Durham Tees Valley, East Midlands, Humberside, Isle of Man, Leeds Bradford, Newcastle, Norwich, Oslo (Norway) Southampton, Stavanger (Norway), Stornoway and Wick.

Eastern Airways was named Europe’s number one regional airline 2006/7 ahead of 65 other airline members on Thursday 28 September 2006 at an awards ceremony in Barcelona. The airline won the European Regions Airline Associations’ (ERA) Gold Airline of the Year Award. Silver awards were also achieved by the airline in 2003/4 and 2004/5.

The aircraft fleet comprises of 50-seater Saab 2000 and 29-seater British Aerospace Jetstream 41 aircraft. In addition to its scheduled services, Eastern Airways operates a special to-order passenger aircraft charter service in the UK and mainland Europe for corporate and private clients.

For further information:

Website: EasternAirways.com.

Media enquiries: Darren Roberts, Communications Manager, Eastern Airways

Telephone: + 44 (0)1652 681425

Jan Halliday, Director of Marketing & Communications, Southampton Airport

Telephone: + 44 (0)23 8062 7141

Website: www.baa.com