UK regional airline, Eastern Airways, is introducing its first scheduled flights from Liverpool John Lennon Airport with services to Aberdeen and Southampton. The independent carrier, which is consistently one of the UK’s most punctual scheduled airlines, will launch three flights each weekday to both Aberdeen and Southampton from Liverpool on 6 July 2009. Also linked in with today’s announcement, the airline will be increasing the number of flights from Aberdeen to Southampton from two to five services each weekday starting from 6 July 2009.

The Humberside-based airline, which celebrates its 12th anniversary this year, initially built its network of services around the oil and gas industry with flights up the east coast of England.  Today’s announcement sees the airline strengthening its comprehensive network of services from Aberdeen to 13 routes, operating more flights than any other carrier from the Scottish hub.

Weekday services to Aberdeen will depart from Liverpool at 10.40am, 4.30pm and 7.20pm, arriving in Aberdeen at 11.50am, 5.50pm and 8.40pm.  Flights take off from Aberdeen at 6.40am, 2.30pm and 6.20pm, landing in Liverpool at 7.50am, 3.50pm and 7.40pm.

Southampton, which has been one of carrier’s key airports since 2003, is the UK’s luxury cruise-liner capital and gateway to many industries in the region and on the M3 corridor, including petrochemical, pharmaceutical, finance, engineering and shipping sectors.

To Southampton, weekday flights will leave Liverpool at 8.10am, 4.20pm and 8.10pm, landing in Southampton at 9am, 5.20pm and 9.10pm.  Flights depart Southampton at 9.30am, 3pm and 5.50pm, arriving in Liverpool at 10.20am, 4pm and 6.50pm.

The new services offer business travellers the flexibility and choice of day return flights. Services are not only expected to appeal to business travellers from Merseyside, but also those visiting Cheshire, Lancashire and North Wales.

“Launching our first scheduled flights from Liverpool is a major milestone,” said Chris Holliday, Eastern Airways’ chief operating officer. “We’re providing the fastest links from Liverpool to Aberdeen and Southampton, which are significantly quicker than alternative road and rail journeys.  By offering three flights each weekday, business travellers will be able to spend a day in Aberdeenshire or in the south of England without the need for overnight accommodation.

“We’re also enhancing our services from Southampton to Aberdeen with five flights a day, providing greater flexibility and even more choice for business and leisure travellers.”

Neil Pakey, Deputy Chief Executive of Peel Airports, said: “We are always looking to give the region’s passengers greater choice and the ability to fly from their local airport and these two new domestic routes make an important addition to the Airport’s list of destinations.

“With parking available adjacent to the terminal building, fast check-in, and a speedy, hassle-free passage through the terminal, the benefits of flying from JLA for the region’s business travellers are plain to see.  Eastern Airways' focus on delivering services for the business community now compliments the benefits of choosing to fly from Liverpool."

Passengers flying with Eastern Airways can check-in just 30 minutes before departure and have access to fast track security channels at Liverpool, Aberdeen and Southampton airports to avoid any queues.

Eastern Airways operates over 800 flights a week from 16 airports including Aberdeen, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Durham Tees Valley, East Midlands, Humberside, Isle of Man, Leeds Bradford, Newcastle, Norwich, Oslo (Norway) Southampton, Stavanger (Norway), Stornoway and Wick.