Derry to London flight route funding secured for a year

Flights between City of Derry Airport and London are to continue, with financial support being extended by the UK government.

The government subsidises Derry to London Stansted flights under a public service obligation (PSO).

PSO air routes see the government support flights which would not be commercially viable without support.

A new contract has now been announced, with flights set to operate until March 2024 at a cost of £1.1m.

The previous PSO was set to expire on Friday.

The Department for Transport will continue subsidising the route alongside the Department for the Economy in Northern Ireland.

Aviation Minister Baroness Vere said that the announcement would secure the future of the route for another year and enable up to 19 return flights every week.

"Thousands of people and businesses depend on this crucial travel link, which is why we remain committed to securing the route," she said.

Flights have been operated by Scottish airline Loganair on the route since 2017.

The BBC understands the airline intends switching the existing Stansted flight to London's Heathrow airport.

The terms of the PSO allows the Derry flight to connect to any one of six London airports.

The City of Derry to London PSO route has been in place since 2017 and was the first of its kind in Northern Ireland.

Loganair took over the route following the collapse of Flybmi, which had operated the flights since the PSO's launch.

The airport, which is owned by Derry City and Strabane District Council, has been beset by long-term funding issues.

In May 2021, the council had requested £15m from Stormont, spread over six years, to help maintain the commercial viability of the airport.

A report given to councillors at that time pointed out that this £15m would bring a potential saving of £3.5m per year for the council.