Regional airline Flybe will go head to head with British Airways (BA) on the Aberdeen to London Heathrow route next year.
Flybe said yesterday that it would operate three daily round-trips between the Granite City and the UK’s busiest airport from the end of March.
It is also introducing a Saturday service and two flights each way on Sundays.
The move follows lengthy talks with Heathrow bosses and comes more than a year since BA last had competition on the route, with Virgin Atlantic’s Little Red service folding just two-and-a-half years after start-up.
Flybe will also fly between Edinburgh and Heathrow as it takes its first steps into operating from the London hub.
Executive chairman Simon Laffin said: “We are delighted to announce our first flights to London Heathrow, significantly enhancing our UK domestic route network and offering even better links between Scotland and London.
“The new routes to Heathrow complement the existing ones we operate to London City, and will benefit our business customers and customers in Scotland who want to connect with our long-haul codeshare partners.
“Flybe is the leading airline serving UK domestic passengers and these new services position us well to serve our passengers in both Scotland and the south-east.”
He added: “We have long been lobbying for Heathrow to offer more opportunities for domestic flights to enhance regional connectivity.
“Whilst other operators may have dismissed the possibility of further domestic routes into Heathrow, we look forward to working with the airport to further expand the range of domestic destinations.”
Aberdeen International Airport (AIA) managing director Carol Benzie said: “These new flights will offer our passengers an even greater choice when booking a trip to the capital or connecting onward via Heathrow.”
James Bream, research and policy director at Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce, said: “Connections like this are vital to the continuing prosperity of the north-east, with more than half of our members rating access to Heathrow as either important or critical to their business.”
Heathrow chief executive John Holland-Kaye said: “More airlines flying routes to Scottish airports means more flights, more competition and choice for families, and more visitors to Scotland. It also means new, unique direct access from Heathrow to markets such Colombia, Taipei and Auckland – meaning more opportunity for Scottish businesses looking to reach new export markets.”
The new services, costing from £39.99 each way, including taxes and charges, will operate in and out of Heathrow Terminal 2.
They take up landing slots which BA was forced to give up under EU law around the time of its takeover of BMI.
BA has up to nine round-trips between AIA and Heathrow on weekdays, with up to seven on Saturdays and seven on Sundays.
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