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» Flybe Low Cost Flights From Norwich

Flybe Low Cost Flights From Norwich

Norwich International Airport (NWI Norwich)

Holidaymakers will be able to jet from Norwich to hotspots in Spain and Portugal for less than £30 and UK cities for less than £10 from next summer, on new planes ordered by budget airline Flybe.

The cut-price airline, which this year began running services from Norwich International airport to Belfast, Edinburgh and Jersey, unveiled a £522m plan yesterday to buy 14 Embraer 195 jets with the possibility of buying a further 12 aircraft.

And that will open up the skies of Norfolk to more destinations, with flights to Europe from £29.99 and domestic flights to cities such as Manchester and Liverpool set to start from £9.99.

Possible overseas destinations include Alicante, Malaga, Palma, and Faro. Flights to Amsterdam are also thought to be in the pipeline - part of a package offering savings of hundreds of pounds in some cases.

An official announcement is due in the next few weeks - but bosses are likely to follow the same model adopted by Flybe at Exeter and Southampton.

Mike Rutter, Flybe's sales and marketing director, said the size of the 118-seat jets made them ideal for Norwich and they should begin operating out of the city next summer.

“We would expect Norwich to have about 18 to 20 routes by mid 2006 and these new aircraft will help us deliver that expansion,” he said. “That's 100pc the plan. We think Norwich is ready for it.

“We are taking Norwich from zero to one million passengers in two years, creating 1000 new jobs in the region for crews, support services as well as tourism and hospitality.”

He said the airline was delighted by the success of its flights from Norwich and planned to operate three of the Embraer 195 jets from the city and a further two or three turbo propeller Q400s.

“The Scottish routes are well above expectations, as is Jersey,” he said. “Belfast is slightly below but overall we are above expectations and talking about a major expansion in early September.”

Flybe believes the move will see 300,000 visitors coming to the city as it estimates that 30pc of passengers will be inbound.

Ian Russell, chairman of Visit Norwich, the new body set up to promote the city and surrounding area as a visitor destination, said the move would help boost the local tourist economy.

“The challenge for us is to attract inbound traffic,” he said.

“It's only realistic to expect people from Norwich to want to go to the Mediterranean and skiing destinations. But we are relishing the opportunity to work closely with the destination airports and win business from them.”

Richard Jenner, managing director of Norwich International, said details were still being finalised about where the planes would go and he would not expect to see the new jets until later in 2006, but their size made them ideal for the regional airport.

“It's good news,” he said. “They are looking at the summer sun and winter breaks market where they are likely to do two or three returns a week. That size aircraft would work really well.

“They are obviously committed to Norwich. They are a very practical aircraft and we are looking forward to seeing them.

“I think they will be trying to build new business as well as pinch some of the existing business going down to Stansted and Luton.”

The Brazilian-made aircraft will replace its existing British Aerospace 146 carriers and increases the airline's fleet from between 59 and 91 planes by 2009.

The airline has a 39-strong fleet and in January unveiled a £250m deal in January to buy 20 new Canadian Q400 turbo propeller planes.

Flybe said its chose the new Embraer planes because of their standards in operating costs, environmental performance and in-flight cabin services.

Managing director Jim French said the aircraft had seat costs for short-haul flights that were comparable with larger jets.

“It completes our fleet rationalisation strategy commenced in 2003 and will give us the youngest fleet in the airline sector,” he added.

Bus firm First Eastern Counties are putting the finishing touches to a new Norwich to London service, the EDP has learned.

Details about the plans - which could provide a direct competitor to existing National Express services from the capital to the city are shrouded in secrecy but the proposed 'X11' is believed to be an Excel class coach service similar to one operating from Norwich to Peterborough.

Tom Oxley, First spokesman, confirmed a route was in the pipeline but said details were still commercially sensitive.

“We are working on plans for a new route as we speak but details will be released when they are finalised,” he said.