Irish airline CityJet is considering operating summer routes from Cork to regional airports in France and Italy, the company's executive chairman, Pat Byrne confirmed Thursday.
Mr Byrne said Cork Airport offered huge potential to CityJet as the company launched its inaugural flight from Leeside to London City Airport.
The news comes as the regional airline’s first flight on its new Cork-London City Airport took off and as it announced it had been awarded a major wet lease contract by SAS (Scandinavian Airlines) to operate a network of regional routes in Scandinavia from Helsinki, Oslo and Stockholm. From March next year,
On the back of that contract, CityJet has also announced that it is to acquire eight 90-seat Bombardier CRJ900 regional jets, the wings of which are manufactured by Bombardier Aerospace in Belfast. It has the option to increase the order to 14 aircraft in 2017 in a deal with a list value of up to $650 million.
The CRJ900 fleet will be operated exclusively on behalf of SAS, with all aircraft in SAS colours and crewed by CityJet staff.
“The SAS contract has immense strategic significance for CityJet’s growth and development, strengthening its market position across Europe and facilitating ongoing investment and growthsaid Mr Byrne.
Speaking in Cork yesterday, Mr Byrne said that CityJet was looking at a number of options in both the south of France and Italy with a view to operating services there from Cork Airport commencing next summer. Among the destinations under consideration are some from where CityJet already operates services to from Dublin including Avignon, Brive and Toulon as well as Florence.
The airline will fly from Cork to London City 18 times a week with three flights daily on weekdays - rising next year to four daily on weekdays - as well as, one flight on Saturday and two on Sundays.
“Today is a milestone for us to have services out of Cork now as well as Dublin - we are very committed to Cork and we think this has huge potential for us,” said Mr Byrne. “Cork and its economy continue to thrive and grow. We want to partner that growth by delivering flights into the heart of London’s financial district,” he told guests at the launch of the first flight.
“We believe this route will grow business - we believe that once people try London City Airport, people will find it very difficult to give it up as their entry into London - it really is a fantastic.”
Mr Byrne said that CityJet were also keen to promote the London City Airport service for its connectivity.
The airline says it has recorded 40 per cent growth on its key Dublin to London City route in the last six months, as well as taking strong advance bookings for the Cork to London City service.
CityJet now employs almost 500 staff, with over 300 based at its headquarters in Swords, in Dublin, and additional crew bases in London and Paris.
