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Press Releases
Jet2.com is cementing its position as the North East's biggest airline with the launch of TWO new sun-drenched destinations for summer 2014 from Newcastle Airport – Fuerteventura and Madeira.
On sale today, the addition of these popular European hotspots takes the total number of destinations now available from the region to 30, giving local customers the biggest ever choice when it comes to planning their 2014 getaway.
Weekly Jet2.com flights to the Canary Island favourite, Fuerteventura, will start operating in June 2014 while flights to the pretty Portuguese island of Madeira will begin in July – both perfectly timed for when school is out next summer. Prices start from £75 per person including taxes plus great value Jet2holidays breaks are also available from £429 per person, secured for only a £60 deposit.
Steve Heapy, CEO of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays, said: "The addition of these two holiday hotspots from Newcastle Airport further demonstrates our ongoing commitment to providing an unrivalled selection of great value flights and holidays for our loyal customers in the region.
"With Jet2.com and Jet2holidays people can now take their pick from the four top Canary Islands for their 2014 holidays; Gran Canaria, Tenerife, Lanzarote and now Fuerteventura. While the 'floating garden' of Madeira is growing an increasingly popular destination for travellers. Both have plenty to offer to suit all holiday types and budgets and we are confident they will prove very successful as many already start to plan ahead and book next year's break."
Leon McQuaid, Aviation Development Manager at Newcastle Airport, added: "The announcement of these two new destinations is great news for the travelling public of the North East. Fuerteventura and Madeira are fantastic places and we're delighted to offer our customers even more choice. The new routes will let holidaymakers secure some guaranteed sunshine for their 2014 summer break and are a great addition to Jet2.com's and Jet2holidays' range of destinations at Newcastle Airport."
Fuerteventura and Madeira flight-only and package holiday information:
- Fuerteventura – flights operate between 24th June 2014 and 21st October 2014 and prices start from £79 per person, including taxes. Package breaks are available from £429 per person.
- Madeira – flights operate between 4th July 2014 and 31st October 2014 and prices start from £75 per person, including taxes. Package breaks are available from £479 per person.
For further information and to book flights visit www.jet2.com or for package holidays visit www.jet2holidays.com.
easyJet, the UK's largest airline, has this week launched new winter services to Tenerife from Newcastle International Airport.
The new route to Tenerife will operate twice a week until 23 April 2014 and is expected to carry around 18,000 holidaymakers between the North East and the popular Canary island throughout winter.
The flights to Tenerife operate on Wednesdays and Saturdays with fares starting from £28.49* one way. It follows easyJet's announcement that it will begin operating a double daily connection to London Gatwick from 30 March 2014.
Ali Gayward, Commercial Manager for easyJet, said: "We are pleased to launch new services to Tenerife this morning and believe it will be a popular addition to the range of destinations currently served from Newcastle International.
"The first flight to the Canary Islands follows the announcement that easyJet will introduce twelve flights per week to London Gatwick from March 2014 and underlines our commitment to providing easy and affordable fares for people in the North East."
Dave Laws, Chief Executive of Newcastle International Airport, said: "The new service to Tenerife we are sure will be very popular with those wanting to soak up the winter sun. We're pleased that easyJet continue to add to their destinations from Newcastle, offering our passengers a range of holiday options."
Travellers looking to book their winter flights, accommodation and transfers in one go can find a wide range of flexible and affordable breaks from all easyJet airports on the easyJet Holidays website: www.easyJet.com/holidays or by calling: 0843 104 1000.
*(one-way, including taxes based on two people on the same booking)
Airline begins journey to fly up to 65,000 in year one
North East passengers benefit from easy connections to the US
Aer Lingus Regional, operated by Aer Arann, have launched their first flight to Dublin. The airline will now operate two daily return flights to Dublin Airport from Newcastle and aims to fly up to 65,000 passengers on the route in the first year.
The addition of this route will facilitate Newcastle-based passengers flying to the US by connecting them to Aer Lingus mainline services to major North American cities such as New York, Chicago, Boston, Orlando, San Francisco and Toronto through Dublin. Passengers can complete security and customs pre-clearance on all of these North American routes from Dublin, for the winter travel period.
The airline celebrated the first flight to Dublin Airport from Newcastle with shamrock – themed cake, fizz and Irish dancers.
Dancers from the Hannon Murphy Irish Dance School in Newcastle entertained passengers at check-in to make their journey even more special.
One lucky passenger at check-in had extra cause for celebration as they received a complimentary pair of tickets to Dublin from Aer Lingus Regional.
Aer Arann, operator of Aer Lingus Regional, recently announced a package of measures to grow the airline as part of its 'new beginning' strategy.
These measures include the launch of three new routes to Manchester, Birmingham and now, the addition of Newcastle to the airline's route network.
The Dublin-Newcastle route will be operated by one of the airline's new aircraft. Aer Lingus Regional have scheduled flight times to facilitate a convenient day return for business and leisure passengers.
Aer Arann's Chief Commercial Officer, Simon Fagan, said:
"We are delighted to be celebrating our first flight from Newcastle airport, where we've had a warm welcome from the North East with many passengers taking advantage not only of the Dublin destination, but also connections onto Aer Lingus mainline services to major North American cities such as New York, Chicago, Boston, Orlando, San Francisco and Toronto.
"Passengers connecting onto US services at Dublin get the added benefit of pre-clearance of US customs, which can save passengers up to two hours in time on arrival. This is a huge benefit to passengers who can avoid a lengthy delay at customs.
"Aer Lingus Regional is committed to providing our UK customers with easy, convenient and great value regional connections."
Chris Sanders, Aviation Development Director at Newcastle International airport, said:
"It's great to see the launch of Aer Lingus Regional's first flight from Newcastle to Dublin. The service has been very popular with both business and leisure travellers keen to take advantage of the convenient schedule and excellent service on offer.
"The check-in area today has been very lively with Irish dancers, refreshments and giveaways so it's wonderful to see such a vibrant beginning to this new service."
- Newcastle's largest airline flights to provide flights to the capital with new route into London Gatwick Airport
easyJet has today announced that it will introduce new flights from Newcastle International Airport to London Gatwick Airport from 30 March 2014.
The new easyJet route went on sale this morning and will provide the North East's only air link to London Gatwick Airport from March 2014. Earlier this year Flybe announced they will stop operating the connection.
The new easyJet flights to London Gatwick will operate twice per day, six days per week with fares starting from £27.49 per person.
The new route will take the total number of routes operated from Newcastle International Airport by easyJet to 15.
Ali Gayward, UK Commercial Manager at easyJet, said: "We are pleased to add London Gatwick to the list of destinations served from Newcastle International Airport and continue to demonstrate our commitment to the North East of England.
"As London remains' one of the North East's key trading partners we have designed a frequent schedule which will make it easy for business travellers to reach the capital and affordable for everyone whether they travel for business or leisure."
Dave Laws, chief executive at Newcastle International Airport, said: "The announcement that easyJet will operate the Newcastle to Gatwick route from the end of March is fantastic news for the North East.
"This is a vital connection for those in the region who want to reach London and the South East, and it also gives passengers the opportunity to use the wide range of flights leaving from Gatwick Airport to destinations across the globe.
"We're very pleased that easyJet have seen the importance of the route and joined us in maintaining this vital link."
Iain Malcolm, Leader of South Tyneside Council and Leader of the LA7, added: "On behalf of Newcastle Airport's local authority shareholders, I am pleased to see the continued investment from easyJet in the North East. We know the airport's customers will take advantage of this route to connect to the capital, whether they're travelling for business or leisure."
Travellers looking to book their summer flights, accommodation and transfers in one place can find a wide range of flexible and affordable breaks from all easyJet airports on the easyJet Holidays website: www.easyJet.com/holidays or by calling 0843 104 1000.
*Fares are based on two adults travelling on the same booking
Only direct flight to link two cities
Launches 3rd March 2014
Award-winning airline offers full in-flight service
20kg checked baggage, 30-minute check-in
Fares from £69.99pp one way
bmi regional (www.bmiregional.com), the UK's most punctual airline, today announced the launch on 3 March 2014 of a double-daily service from Newcastle International to Brussels International, the only direct flight to link the two cities. Operated by a 49-seater Embraer jet aircraft, the new route will offer business and leisure travellers the opportunity to reach the Belgian capital in just 75 minutes, from £69.99 per person including taxes* one way.
bmi regional offers a full in-flight service including at-seat meals and full bar selection in addition to 20kg of checked baggage per person and thirty minute check-in at both airports. The carrier was named Silver Airline of the Year at the annual European Regions Airline Association (ERA) awards in Austria this month.
"This is our first route from Newcastle International and we're delighted to provide the only direct flight for travellers from the north east of England to the Belgian capital," said Cathal O'Connell, CEO at bmi regional. "This year we've launched over a dozen new routes from British airports and our new Newcastle to Brussels service opens up opportunities for those travelling for business and for pleasure."
Chris Sanders, Aviation Development Director at Newcastle International Airport, said: "We're delighted with the announcement that bmi regional will be operating a new Brussels service from March 2014. The route is a key hub both for business and leisure travellers and one we are sure will be very popular."
Cllr Iain Malcolm, Leader of South Tyneside Council and Leader of the LA7 Shareholders, said: "The launch of bmi's Newcastle to Brussels service is great news for the regional economy. Connectivity is vital to enable businesses to grow and prosper and we're sure that the regional business community will be thrilled with this announcement."
Charles Bragg, Research & Development Director, P&G UK & Ireland, said: "P&G considers flights from Newcastle to Brussels as a vital transport link between our European Innovation centres in these cities and to enable engagement with the EU, so we are delighted about the announcement of regular flights. Good transport links are an important consideration for P&G's investment in the North East of England."
Belgian travellers with also benefit, said Arnaud Feist, CEO at Brussels Airport Company: "Newcastle has been a very important missing link in our extensive network to the UK. We are very pleased that bmi regional, multiple winner of the Brussels Airport punctuality award for regional airlines and a long term business partner for Brussels Airport, will commence direct flights to the Capital of Europe."
Brussels is renowned for its Grand Place - an UNESCO World Heritage Site - and other architectural sights including the futuristic Atomium and traditional Flemish houses in addition to its vibrant arts and food districts. Home to the Brussels Stock Exchange, the city serves as a centre of administration for the European Union and a gateway to other cities including Antwerp, Ghent and Maastricht.
Newcastle International is the third British airport to be linked to Brussels by bmi regional, which currently operates services from East Midlands and Edinburgh. The airline became independent from BMI in June 2012 and has pursued a sustainable expansion strategy whilst retaining full in-flight service and the highest customer service standards.
- The European aviation representative association award Aer Arann bronze in the 'airline of the year' category for recent achievements
- Airline to reach its three millionth passenger carried since the beginning of the franchise agreement with Aer Lingus in 2010
Aer Arann, operator of Aer Lingus Regional, received an award for 'Airline of the Year' at the European Regional Airlines Association (ERA) annual industry awards ceremony in Salzburg, Austria, on Thursday, 3 October.
The ERA awards, attended by leading airlines from around the world, recognise the importance of regional operations by rewarding the success of regional carriers.
Aer Arann was recognised for the significant achievements the company has made in implementing its plan to grow the airline.
Over the past year, Aer Arann has made significant progress in implementing its 'new beginning' strategy, which aims to position Aer Arann among Europe's top tier of regional airlines.
Their strategy included a financial restructuring of the company, a €144 deal for eight new ATR aircraft, the extension of the franchise agreement with Aer Lingus until 2022, and the addition of Newcastle to the Aer Lingus Regional route network.
The airline has overseen a 32% rise in Aer Lingus Regional passenger numbers in the past 12 months and in the coming weeks is on track to reach its three millionth passenger carried since the beginning of the franchise agreement with Aer Lingus in 2010.
The European Regions Airline Association (ERA) is the representative trade association for the European aviation industry.
Collecting the Bronze 'Airline of the Year' award, Seán Brogan, Interim Chief Executive, Aer Arann said: "We are delighted to be selected as an ERA award winner. Our 'new beginning' strategy is transforming our airline.
"The combination of fresh investment, successful restructuring, fleet renewal, new routes, new staff and an extension of our partnership with Aer Lingus is enabling us to grow passenger numbers and set ambitious targets for 2014.
"We have come a long way in a short time, which is testament to the hard work of the full team of over 350 staff. This award is for them," Mr Brogan concluded.
Commenting on Aer Arann's success at the awards, an independent judging panel said: "The airline had achieved a remarkable "rebirth" and secured new life through a new franchise agreement. It has been able to attract new investors and raise new capital. This expresses a confidence in the airline's future and their management capabilities.
"Their campaign to pull traffic from surrounding cities in the UK to the US through a major European hub has been a clever move."
13th October - No trains Airport - Regent Centre 7am-7pm
On Sunday 13 October the Metro service will not operate from Regent Centre to the Airport from 7am-7pm to allow for trackside maintenance. The bus replacement service number 900 will call at or close to all stations in the affected area. Trains will arrive and leave from platform 2 at Regent Centre. Your journey will take longer so please leave extra time for travel.
Newcastle International Airport has made a significant investment in new safety technology, a Wide Area Multilateration (WAM) system which has been certified by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
The high tech system ensures that Newcastle International Airport uses the most up-to-date and advanced technology replacing conventional Secondary Surveillance Radar (SSR) equipment. The new system supports the airport's primary radar and helps the airport deliver Air Traffic Control services across the region's airspace.
WAM relies on five individual radar sites, four of which are located across the North East in Alnwick, Otterburn, High Spen and Sunderland. The system gathers information from aircraft such as the aircraft's identification and altitude and receives replies at all of the sites. This allows the system to accurately fix the position of the aircraft within Newcastle Airport airspace and pass this information onto Air Traffic Controllers on the ground.
It covers airspace from Newcastle International's runway out to 90 Nautical Miles (NM) in range which equates to 25,000 square miles of coverage up to 50,000 feet.
Richard Knight, Operations Director at Newcastle Airport, said: "This is an important project which ensures that Newcastle International Airport has the best available technology. We've worked closely with ERA, an international company credited with the invention of the WAM technology and we're delighted that the system has been accredited by the CAA.
"This, alongside significant investments such as a new Instrument Landing System (ILS) and ongoing investment in the Air Traffic Control Tower, demonstrates the airport's commitment to safety and progress."
WAM is the latest in SSR technology which is fully compliant with the Single European Skies initiatives, approved by the CAA for use at Newcastle. It is wind farm tolerant, offering less interference from wind turbines due to the geography of receiving sites.
easyJet, the UK's largest airline, has today announced its summer 2014 schedule from Newcastle Airport to 13 destinations across Europe.
Over 1,600 flights are now on sale at www.easyJet.com, enabling passengers to secure the best fares early with more than 250,000 seats available for travel between 30 March and 15 June.
Key summer sun routes for 2014 include popular destinations of Alicante, Palma and Malaga as well as city breaks to Barcelona and Amsterdam. The airline has also issued fares on popular business routes including Belfast and Bristol.
Hugh Aitken, easyJet's UK commercial manager, comments: "Today easyJet has launched its summer schedule from Newcastle Airport offering flights to over 13 destinations between March and June 2014.
"When developing our flying schedule we consider many factors including customer comments and holiday trends to ensure we're offering the right combination of flights at a great price. easyJet also secures access to primary airports which take people straight to the heart of a destination to save time and money on transfers.
"Key summer sun destinations from Newcastle include Malta and Faro but we've also retained firm favourites such as Alicante and Malaga. Around 20% of easyjet customers are business travellers so they'll be pleased to secure low cost flights to cities such as Belfast and Amsterdam."
Summer routes now on sale from Newcastle include
• Tenerife from £31.99 one way
• Palma from £25.99 one way
• Amsterdam from £25.99 one way
Fares are based on two people booking at the same time.
Travellers looking to book their summer flights, accommodation and transfers in one go can find a wide range of flexible and affordable breaks from all easyJet airports on the easyJet Holidays website: www.easyJet.com/holidays or by calling tel: 0843 104 1000.
Airline Celebrates One Year of its Upgraded Boeing 777 Service
Emirates, one of the world's fastest growing airlines, this week celebrated 12 months of the upgraded 428 seat Boeing 777-300ER aircraft on its daily flight from Newcastle to Dubai.
Currently the longest aircraft to have ever operated out of Newcastle Airport, Emirates' daily Boeing 777-300ER service was upgraded last September as the airline ploughed more resource and capacity into its North East hub. The aircraft upgrade has resulted in more than 2,000 extra seats per week between Newcastle and Dubai.
Commenting, Laurie Berryman Emirates Vice President UK, said: "It's been a great 12 months for our Newcastle to Dubai service. Since we upgraded to the Boeing 777-300ER with its new flat-bed Business Class seats and Chauffeur Drive pick-up service, passenger numbers have grown by almost 20 per cent. In fact, we've just experienced our busiest month for passenger numbers, an increase of 40 per cent compared to last August.
"The route is not just popular with customers – Emirates SkyCargo has seen a huge demand for exports, experiencing a 46 per cent increase, in addition, freight tonnage carried on the aircraft increased by 26 per cent over the last 12 months, boosted by the cargo capacity of the Boeing 777.
"Our investment in Newcastle and the North East continues to be an important part of our UK operations. More people flying, more trade in and out of the region with Emirates SkyCargo and an increasingly popular Business Class product points to a very positive outlook for Emirates in Newcastle and the wider local and regional economy."
Dave Laws, Chief Executive of Newcastle International Airport, said: "The daily 777 service from Newcastle to Dubai remains very important for businesses in the region. It gives the regional economy a positive boost with impressive export and passenger statistics both showing strong growth. Passengers are flying to Dubai and beyond with the service and it really is opening up global opportunities for regional businesses. We are delighted with the performance of the service over the last 12 months.
"The service is very popular with North East holidaymakers. Leisure passengers have been travelling across the globe to exciting destinations such as Thailand, Malaysia, Australia, India, South Africa, Maldives and Mauritius."