BMI Regional’s recently-announced flights from Bristol Airport to Hamburg and Frankfurt have been welcomed by the city’s Chamber of Commerce.
The airline, which launched flights to Aberdeen from Bristol last year, is to introduce the five-flights-per-week Hamburg service on February 11 it will increase to 12 a week from April 8. The six-flights-a-week Frankfurt service will launch in late March.
Chamber executive director James Durie, who is also an executive board member of the West of England Loca
l Enterprise Partnership (LEP), said: “At a time when export markets have never been more important to our economy, these new BMI services are good news for business in Bristol and across the South West.
“Germany remains our second largest trade partner and export market for British goods and services so for business ranging from small to large it is important we will now have direct services to connect to these important cities.
“They are a gateway to the industrial heartland of continental Europe and also via Hamburg as a hub airport to many further destinations worldwide. This makes us more competitive.
“Many of our businesses would much prefer not having to travel to the heavily congested London airports and so have been calling for the reinstatement of direct air services from Bristol to Frankfurt following the previous service being stopped three or four years ago despite the fact that it was well used.”
BMI Regional chief executive Cathal O’Connell added: “The launch of new services to Germany is a continuation of our promise to serve key economic and transport hubs to multiple destinations across Europe.
“Our choice of destinations is based on customer demand and with Hamburg being a significant operational base for major employers such as Airbus and Imperial Tobacco and Frankfurt a world hub offering connectivity throughout the globe, we are supplying services our business users have asked for.
“Both cities are exciting destinations for leisure customers and with launch fares starting from as low as £49.99 each way, we also expect to see a boost in both inbound tourists to the South West region.”
The airline is expecting to announce additional routes from Bristol soon.
Bristol Airport chief executive Robert Sinclair said: “This announcement is a major statement of our commitment to providing the connectivity which is vital in enabling the South West economy to compete on a global stage. It forms part of an overall strategy to enhance services and facilities for the region’s business passengers, including commencement of a £600,000 project to create a new, improved executive lounge in the terminal.”
