Poor rail and road links mean that reaching Newquay can be a time consuming and stressful experience. Yet by air, the Cornish resort is little more than an hour away from any city in England or Scotland and that is why the number of air links to this Cornish resort have mushroomed in recent years.
Now comes news of two new routes, one from London Luton and the other from Edinburgh.Irish carrier Aer Arran will fly four times a week from Luton starting next Monday (July 3). Flights will operate every Monday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday. On weekdays services depart Luton at 1050 and return from Newquay at 1250.
Budget carrier Flybe launched a once weekly service from Edinburgh at the end of May. But from July 10, Flybe will increase this to a three times a week operation (every Monday, Friday and Saturday). On weekdays its flight departs Edinburgh at 0715 heading north from Newquay at 0910.
Flybe is the only carrier flying to Newquay from Edinburgh and for travel in the next few weeks you can expect to pay upwards of £142. But from London there are daily services with Ryanair from Stansted and a four times a day link from Gatwick with Air Southwest.
Ryanair remains the price leader (although its fares can be costly at weekends) but as Aer Arran is a newcomer it is pricing keenly to attract custom. Most expensive of all the carriers flying from London is regional carrier Air Southwest although in compensation it does offer the best schedules.
Last Tuesday Business Traveller checked the cost of the cheapest return ticket to Newquay from London travelling out on July 17 and returning on July 20. We were quoted online rates of £60 by Aer Arran, £58 by Ryanair but £133 by Air Southwest.
For more information go to aerarran.com, flybe.com.
Report by Alex McWhirter
