JERSEY’S troubled tourism industry received a boost this week when Flybe announced new and more frequent routes to and from the Island.
But the airline also had bad news for its staff in Norwich. It is closing its base at the city’s airport with the loss of 45 jobs, most of them aircrew. The Exeter-based company blamed the economic downturn for the decision.
The news concerning Jersey is more favourable. From March, Flybe will begin flights between the Island and Inverness, Dundee and Kent. And the regional airline is increasing the number of flights to and from Cardiff, Doncaster, Birmingham, Exeter and Newcastle. The summer schedule will also see the return of flights to Nice, Aberdeen, Belfast, Glasgow and Southend.
It means that Flybe will operate 19 routes to and from Jersey. Assistant Economic Development Minister Deputy Alan Maclean said that the new routes would boost Jersey’s tourism. ‘I am delighted with the new routes that Flybe are introducing in 2009, which further demonstrates their continuing and valuable commitment to Jersey,’ he said.
