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Council confident new operator can be found for Dundee Airport’s London service

The council is doing all it can to attract a new operator for the scheduled service to London.
The council is doing all it can to attract a new operator for the scheduled service to London.

Council and business chiefs in Dundee are confident a new operator for the city’s soon-to-be axed daily air service to London can be found.

The authority will issue a tender early next year to attract a replacement for CityJet’s daily service to the capital from Dundee Airport, which the airline will withdraw in March.

A council spokesman said it would do “everything we can” to attract a new operator for the airport’s only scheduled service, which CityJet is cancelling due to low passenger numbers.

The spokesman said: “The council has been working closely with its partners in the Scottish Government, Highlands and Islands Airports and a range of organisations over the future of Dundee Airport.

“The Department for Transport has approved a Public Service Obligation for the council to help attract a new operator for this route.

“This means that we will be issuing a tender early in the new year as part of that process and we will do everything we can to ensure the seamless continuation of a service to London.”

Dundee and Angus Chamber of Commerce chief executive Sandra Burke said news of CityJet’s imminent departure was “not all doom and gloom”.

She said: “It’s really concerning and disappointing from a business perspective, because clearly the route is a local lifeline for transport infrastructure.

“But there’s good reason to think that something positive can come out of this.

“A survey came back a few weeks ago that a lot of chamber members participated in, which said that they were interested in continuing to use that service.

“There were some concerns around cost, the routes available and the timing of the flights.

“But, providing these things could be looked at and I think a new operator would be looking at those quite critically then, I think there’s lots of potential to look forward to.

“It’s fair comment that the flights can be expensive compared to flying into other cities, so whoever the new operator is, we would hope the cost of flights become more competitive and realistic.”

City politicians expressed hope that a replacement carrier could be found quickly.

Dundee East MSP Shona Robison said: “The transport minister, Keith Brown MSP, is straining every sinew to ensure that London flights continue from Dundee.

“Our business and academic communities need a reliable and regular connection to London, and the city council is well aware of the economic importance of the airport to the city.”

Dundee-based Labour MSP Jenny Marra said: “We need to pull out all the stops to make sure that we get an operator to keep our direct link with London City.

“It’s vital for business and our economy and for the planned boost with the waterfront development and the V&A.”

Professor Nigel Seaton, principal of Abertay University, said: “It’s very concerning to hear that the air-link with London is under threat, especially just as Dundee prepares to enter an exciting new era of growth thanks to the council’s vision for the waterfront and other developments.

“If Abertay University can help devise a solution in partnership with other organisations across the city, we will be glad to contribute.”

This month the Government announced that maintaining the London link was vital to Dundee Airport’s future.