Loganair to move Dundee flight from Stansted to London City

Loganair will move its flights between Dundee and London from Stansted to London City Airport from March 29, 2020.

At the same time, it will also relaunch its service between Dundee and Belfast City.

The Dundee to London route is supported by a Public Service Obligation (PSO) which protects flights that boost tourism, connect the UK and encourage economic growth.

It is backed by funding from the UK Government, Transport Scotland and Dundee City Council.

In October the Department for Transport announced the PSO was renewed for another two years, with Loganair again chosen by Dundee City Council to operate the 11 weekly flights.

New aircraft will also be introduced to the service, with an ATR42-500 replacing the Saab 340 presently deployed. This will increase seat capacity from 33 to 48 seats on every flight.

The new aircraft are also more environmentally efficient, cutting carbon emissions per passenger by around 30% versus the Saab 340 aircraft flying the route today, said Loganair.

Lead in fares on the Dundee to London City route will be £10 cheaper than the flights to Stansted. Loganair said the reduction had been achieved despite an overall reduction in the public subsidy for the Dundee air service over the lifetime of the new contract.

Loganair chief executive Jonathan Hinkles said: "There are real benefits for our customers in this move to fly directly into UK’s capital, not least being the reduced travel time to the heart of the city.  London City Airport is only 10 minutes from Canary Wharf and 30 minutes from central London, making it ideal for both business and leisure travellers. It’s a substantial time saving on the Stansted Express journey."

Loganair also today announced the introduction of a Dundee-Belfast City service – the first between the two cities since the end of a previous Loganair service in 2012.

The service will start on April 2 and will operate up to six times each week (daily except Saturdays) during the summer season and three times each week during the winter season.

Hinkles said: "We are pleased to bring back a Dundee to Belfast service, for which we’re sure there will be strong demand. There are currently over 2,000 Northern Ireland students at Dundee University and strong golf ties with famous Open Championship courses at each end of the route in St Andrews and Royal Portrush.

"Today’s announcement of an enhanced London service and a new Belfast link will provide a very significant boost for Dundee Airport, and we’re delighted to be building on Loganair’s long-standing presence at the airport with these exciting developments."