Eastern Airways, a franchise partner of Flybe, is to take over operating the Aberdeen – London City route on Monday 7 May 2018.

The continuation of the route will result in the same weekday frequency of two flights a day in each direction and also a Sunday service with all flights bookable at Flybe.com.

Long term, the route will be operated by a 76-seat Embraer 170 jet, but will initially start with a 50-seat Saab 2000 aircraft.

The fast jet connection will offer quicker flight times of just 1 hour 15 minutes between Aberdeen and London City Airport, which is the only London airport conveniently located in the heart of the capital.

The Docklands Light Railway (DLR) provides convenient public transport links from London City Airport with trains leaving every 8-15 minutes to Canning Town or Bank for connections onto the wider London Underground.

On board flights, passengers will be offered complimentary drinks and snacks, and fares start from £89.99 one way, including taxes and charges. Regular customers can also benefit from zonal route passes offering 35% savings.

Mathew Herzberg, Eastern Airways’ Head of Commercial, said: “We welcome the opportunity as a franchise partner of Flybe to operate the Aberdeen – London City service, which is part of our strategic business alignment. It’s vital that Europe’s oil capital continues to have a direct link with the city of London, which will commence operations with a Saab 2000 and then switch to a jet service providing a quicker, convenient connection to the heart of the capital.”

Carol Benzie, Managing Director of Aberdeen Airport said: “It is great news that Eastern Airways will be introducing their jet service to operate on the Aberdeen – London City route. A seamless transition from Flybe to Eastern Airways, with no break in the service, and a slightly shorter journey duration will hopefully be welcomed by regular travellers on this route. Good connectivity into the heart of the UK’s capital is vital for our passengers as well as for the economic prospects of the larger North-east region.”

Richard Hill, Commercial Director of London City Airport, said: “We warmly welcome Eastern Airways to our network of airlines to operate the London City-Aberdeen route with faster journey times. Like London City, Eastern Airways offers an excellent customer experience which I’m certain passengers will enjoy, with the continuity of weekday frequency and booking through Flybe’s website, for the convenience of frequent flyers.

“For London City, this demonstrates our on-going commitment to regional connectivity, closing the gap between central London and Aberdeen, and helping connect businesses and tourists in both directions.”

Eastern Airways has been operating flights from Aberdeen since 1997 and provides a network of services from the north-east Scotland airport to the UK regions.