Irish carrier Ryanair axed the route from Liverpool to Northern Ireland in December last year in a row with the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority – now Loganair is taking it over. Tony McDonough reports
Scottish airline Loganair is stepping in to take over a route between Liverpool John Lennon Airport and Derry in Northern Ireland that was axed by Ryanair.
In late December last year, Ryanair announced the closure of 12 domestic and international routes in a row with the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority. They included a twice-weekly return service between Liverpool and the City of Derry Airport.
Now Glasgow-based Loganair is stepping in to safeguard the route. It will offer flights to Derry on Mondays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from May 24. One-way fares will go on sale from Tuesday, March 9, and frequency will increase to daily from late June.
This is the second time the carrier has taken over a route out of Liverpool from another airline. In March 2020 it took over the twice-daily service between Liverpool and the Isle of Man following the collapse of previous operator Flybe.
Loganair’s team of pilots, cabin crew and engineers already based at Derry Airport will operate the Liverpool route. The airline was the first operator at the airport when it opened for business in April 1980.
Chief executive Jonathan Hinkles said: “Frequent air links are essential for so many aspects of working and family life, even as we work to re-build and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Loganair already serves both City of Derry and Liverpool airports, and when the opportunity arose for us to connect these two important destinations in our network following another airline’s withdrawal, we were only too pleased to step in to safeguard these connections.”
Paul Winfield, director of aviation development at Liverpool John Lennon Airport, added: “This route is an important link between our two cities and their regions beyond, having already proved popular by travellers flying in both directions.
“As we plan ahead for a return to normality after the difficulties of the past year, domestic air travel is likely to recover sooner and this route will help travellers to once again be able to enjoy all that’s on offer from our two great regions.”