11 October 2010
Flybe is the latest airline to drop services from Bournemouth Airport, with the Bournemouth-Manchester route ceasing operation on 29 October 2010. The regional budget airline, that has its main South Coast base at Southampton Airport, introduced a single daily route to Manchester in May 2010, but has dropped it from its winter schedule that starts at the end of October 2010.
Business leaders in the area remain optimistic that an airline will step in to operate the route, as Manchester is the most requested destination at Bournemouth Airport. A spokesman for the airport said passengers need a service that will allow them to travel to Manchester and back in a day. Unfortunately, a single flight in the middle of the day was not able to service demand and as a result the route was reliant upon leisure passengers. The airport is currently in talks with other carriers regarding more appropriate services.