Eastern Airways introduces extra capacity on Southampton Services

Eastern Airways has added extra capacity to its Southampton Airport to Leeds Bradford and Aberdeen routes with the introduction of a jet aircraft offering over 600 additional seats a month.  The airport fire service marked the occasion greeting the arriving aircraft with a water arch.

A 37-seater Embraer 135 regional jet now operates daily on selected peak services to both Leeds Bradford and Aberdeen, and new convenient timings also start today on the service enabling business commuters to arrive in Leeds Bradford in 45 minutes by 8.35am and Aberdeen in 1 hour 55 minutes by 9.45am.

The UK airline is Europe’s leading providing of fixed wing air services for the oil and gas industry and has just been awarded the European Regional Airline of the Year gold award 2014/15 by the European Regions Airline Association (ERA).  It is firmly committed to enhancing its business-focused timings and providing south coast business travellers and offshore workers with greater flexibility.   

Weekday flights to Leeds Bradford from Southampton will see new 7.50am, 4.30pm and 6.30pm departures arriving in Yorkshire at 8.35am, 5.45pm and 7.15pm respectively.  Services leave Leeds Bradford at 6.40am, 10.35am and 5.15pm, landing at Southampton at 7.25am, 11.45am and 6pm respectively.  Sunday services leave Southampton at 7.15pm and depart Leeds Bradford at 5.55pm.

Flights to Aberdeen on weekdays will depart Southampton at 7.50am and 4.30pm arriving at 9.45am and 7.20pm respectively. Services take off from Aberdeen at 8.45am and 4.10pm, arriving in Southampton at 11.45am and 6pm respectively.  Sunday flights depart Southampton at 7.15pm and leave Aberdeen at 4.45pm.

Kay Ryan, Eastern Airways’ commercial director, said: “The introduction of the Embraer jet on our Southampton services enables us to offer additional capacity to the two busy regional centres of Leeds and Aberdeen.  It also allows us to offer business commuters and offshore industry personnel new enhanced timings to suit their needs.”

Jan Halliday, Southampton Airport’s director of marketing & communications, said: “Southampton Airport warmly welcomes Eastern Airways’ Embraer 135 jet and the additional seats that it brings to this important route.  We hope our business passengers will enjoy the convenience of the new timings.”

Leeds Bradford Airport is the gateway to Yorkshire and has busy regional centres of industry in its catchment with strong business links to the south coast, while Aberdeen is the UK’s oil capital.

Lead-in fares start from £79 one way, including taxes and charges.

All departing Eastern Airways passengers benefit from Fast track security channels at Southampton, Leeds Bradford and Aberdeen airports to avoid any queues at security search.  Customers are offered complimentary drinks and snacks on board the aircraft and there is no charge for check-in, baggage or choice of seat.  

Eastern Airways first started operating scheduled flights from Southampton in 2003.

The airline provides a network of services across 17 airports in the UK, Norway and France using a fleet of 31 regional aircraft.