Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Airport hits back as Dutch flights axed
AN airline was today blamed by airport chiefs after flights from Dundee to Amsterdam were scrapped.
Flybe will suspend the route on Monday January 12 — just eight months after it was launched.
No planes have flown between Dundee and Amsterdam for several weeks, with passengers instead being bussed to Edinburgh Airport.
Now the route has been scrapped permanently, with Flybe claiming there was not enough radar coverage to handle its “large passenger aircraft”.
But a spokesman for HIAL, which operates Dundee Airport, told the Tele: “Dundee has demonstrated that it can operate as an international airport and there is no reason why it will not continue to do so in the future.
“The operational requirements laid out by Flybe are specific to that airline.”
Dundee’s Lord Provost Bob Duncan, who attended the launch of the flights in May, said: “I am incredibly disappointed. You would have thought a company the size of Flybe would have done its homework properly to ensure that this was going to be viable.”
Scottish transport minister Humza Yousaf said: “I’m very disappointed by Flybe’s decision to suspend the DundeeAmsterdam service when it was doing so well, with a strong performance from both ends of the route.
“HIAL has worked intensively with Flybe to try and resolve the airline’s operational issues.
“There is no doubt that this a setback and HIAL must now face the prospect of a break in service after January 12.
“However, HIAL will not give up on the route and will continue to talk to Flybe as well explore other options for such a promising service.
“We will continue to work with HIAL, Dundee City Council and the UK Government to maximise the potential of air services from Dundee Airport.”
A Flybe spoksman said the move came after a “comprehensive review” of operations at Dundee and said existing bookings would be offered a refund or a transfer to Edinburgh. He added: “Flybe has been working closely with Dundee Airport in an attempt to resolve this issue. However, potential solutions will take some time to implement.”