Loganair to offer Glasgow to Derry flights after Ryanair service ends

6 March 2018, 06:34 | Updated: 6 March 2018, 06:36

Loganair is to launch a Glasgow to Derry service after Ryanair discontinues the route in the autumn.

The regional carrier will start the link on Sunday October 28, the day after the Ryanair service ends.

Ryanair announced last week it is to close its base at Glasgow Airport and will only fly to Dublin, Krakow and Wroclaw from there in its winter 2018 schedule.

Loganair will operate the service five days a week on Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

The airline operated a Glasgow to Derry service from 1979 until 2007 and said it was pleased to start offering the route again.

Loganair managing director Jonathan Hinkles said: "Glasgow to Derry has always been a really popular route, given the close connections between the residents of the two cities.

"We're delighted to be returning to a route which we first initiated all those years ago while also ensuring its continuation following Ryanair's recent announcement.

"We very much hope that our decision to secure the future of this air link will be of keen interest to those with family ties and football affiliations, as well as people with business in the two regions."

Derry will become Loganair's 12th destination from Glasgow.

Francois Bourienne, Glasgow Airport commercial director, said: "We are thrilled our long-standing airline partner Loganair has made the decision to step in to operate a regular service to Derry.

"The Northern Irish city is a consistently-popular destination with our passengers and the announcement that Loganair will operate five services per week is very welcome news indeed."