Flybe is to double its Gatwick-Newquay service to six flights a day following storm damage to the only rail route into Cornwall.
The carrier will increase its schedule from Wednesday (February 12) in an effort to provide an alternative for rail passengers. The Great Western line was severed at Dawlish this week when fierce tides washed away the bed of the track that runs along the shore.
The additional flights will run initially for two weeks while demand for the service is assessed. Flybe has managed to tweak its programme to free up an additional 118-seat Embraer 195 aircraft to operate on the route.
Seats are priced at £37 each way, with Gatwick waiving charges on the additional services.
Flybe chief commercial officer Paul Simmons said: “Flybe fully appreciates the enormous economic cost to the region of losing its rail services, an untenable situation that looks likely to impact the region severely for at least six weeks and possibly even longer.
“Flybe’s regional model means that, at this time of travel crisis which is placing huge pressure on the West Country’s industry and commerce sectors and on leisure and business travel, we are well placed to be able to step in quickly and provide a fast and convenient travel solution.
“We also commit to maintaining our normal pricing mechanism. We have no wish to take advantage of this very difficult situation by inflating fares and can assure our customers that our fares policy will be managed in exactly the same way as always.”