The UK Government has announced it will back a new route from Dundee to Amsterdam.
The decision was announced in the UK Government Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015 which outlines plans to invest £7 million “to support new air routes promoting domestic and international connectivity and stimulating jobs and growth, including from Dundee to Amsterdam.”
The Amsterdam service will be operated by FlyBe.
The main attraction of a link with Amsterdam is that the Dutch airport is a major international hub which serves Amsterdam and which offers global onwards connectivity.
Many passengers from Scotland and North England prefer to avoid transferring at Heathrow and prefer airports like Amsterdam and Frankfurt.
Dundee is the closest airport for passengers looking to visit the home of golf, Saint Andrews.
Dundee is operated by Highland and Islands Airports Limited (HIAL).
(HIAL) is a public corporation wholly owned by the Scottish Ministers. The company operates and manages 11 Airports at Barra, Benbecula, Campbeltown, Dundee, Islay, Inverness, Kirkwall, Stornoway, Sumburgh, Tiree and Wick.
None of the HIAL airports was previously owned by BAA/Heathrow.
Inglis Lyon, Managing Director of HIAL, said:
“We are delighted that Flybe’s application to the Regional Connectivity Fund to operate a new Dundee to Amsterdam service has been approved.
“Amsterdam is one of Europe’s biggest hub airports offering connections to more than 300 worldwide destinations. A new Dundee-Amsterdam route would be transformational in terms of business and leisure connectivity, particularly at a time when Dundee is undergoing significant investment.”
Dundee City Council leader Councillor Ken Guild said:
“This is great news for the city and testament to the local case that has been made for a route between Dundee Airport and Amsterdam.
“Amsterdam is a major European hub, and any link with Dundee would have tremendous tourism and business benefits for our city and the wider area.”
Passengers connect where it is best for them
Passengers, business or leisure, will always choose what is best for them. Be that costs, total journey times, ease of connection.
Where a passenger transfers makes no difference to the UK economy. If a passenger transfers at Heathrow, the benefits go to Heathrow (a foreign owned company) and the airlines involved.
The investment by the UK Government in the Dundee to Amsterdam route clearly shows that the UK Government is supporting airlines and passengers who prefer to use Amsterdam as a hub instead of Heathrow.
We will see in a few weeks how this UK Government investment will work with the announcement on a new London runway.
N.B. Image credit: hial.co.uk
