Flybe has confirmed details of a new daily flight between Southampton and Lyon as part of its 2016 Summer schedule.
This is the second route it has announced to be operated under the Government’s Regional Air Connectivity Fund.
There are excellent transport connections from Lyon for onward travel within France thanks to direct, high speed trains. Travellers can explore this historic city and its World Heritage Site or venture further afield, with Geneva under two hours’ drive away and Turin just under four.
With the aim of providing improved connectivity with new transport connections for businesses and passengers from their local areas, the Department for Transport last year published a shortlist of new international and domestic routes to and from UK regional airports handling fewer than five million passengers a year. The Department then invited representations from interested parties interested in operating any of the routes commercially, and overall Flybe was successful in securing nearly half, of which Southampton to Lyon is one.
Aviation Minister Robert Goodwill said: “It is fantastic to see Flybe launch this new service between Southampton and Lyon. Our smaller airports are vital engines for local economies, connecting the UK and overseas destinations and opening up opportunities. That is why the Government is backing new regional air routes to drive investment and boost growth across the country.”
Vincent Hodder, Flybe’s Chief Revenue Officer comments: “We are delighted to announce details of Flybe’s second route to be funded under the Government’s Regional Air Connectivity Fund. Our new daily service between Southampton and Lyon is a great example of our ongoing commitment to strengthening our position as the airline of choice for customers travelling between Southampton airport and regional France. We will continue to offer unrivalled connectivity and the widest possible choice of destinations for time-saving travel from our South Coast base.”
MD of Southampton Airport, Dave Lees, added: “The new Flybe route to Lyon from Southampton opens up air links to the second largest metropolitan area in France, after Paris. Not only is this the capital for gastronomy in France, but it is also a business centre specialising in banking, chemical, pharmaceutical and biotech industries. This new route is likely to be popular with leisure and business passengers alike and we are really pleased that it has received support from the Government through the Regional Air Connectivity Fund.”
Today’s news follows Flybe’s recent announcements of a new route to Paris Charles De Gaulle and the return of popular ‘summer sun’ routes to Alicante, Malaga, Palma Mallorca and Faro.
The airline will now operate 30 routes in total from Southampton this summer offering a choice of up to 357 flights a week.