Exeter to Manchester Airport flights ‘key’ for business community

Budget carrier Loganair is now operating a daily schedule between the two transport hubs

Flights from Exeter to Manchester are “key” for regional economic growth and the business community, a chamber of commerce has said.

Budget carrier Loganair launched flights from the South West transport hub last year and is now operating a daily schedule to the North West city. It also operates services from Exeter to Edinburgh, Jersey and Newcastle.

Devon Chamber said the flight route to Manchester, which returned after a five-year absence, would strengthen Exeter as a “key regional transport hub” and help local businesses remain connected to the UK and Europe.

“It cements the airport’s role in supporting regional connectivity, ensuring businesses across the South West can access key markets efficiently,” a spokesperson for Devon Chamber said.

“With a flight time of just an hour – compared with more than four hours by rail or road – the route is helping the region’s businesses connect and be more productive.”

The Manchester service is also helping to drive further growth at Exeter Airport, where passenger numbers soared by 32 per cent in the year to March to 582,000 amid growing demand for regional connectivity.

At the centre of the growth has been the success of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines’ daily Exeter to Amsterdam service, which recently celebrated its first anniversary. The route has opened up worldwide connections for business and leisure travellers through Amsterdam Schiphol, one of Europe’s leading international hubs.

The route has also proved successful in attracting inbound international visitors into the South West, in particular from The Netherlands and Germany, according to Devon Chamber.

Exeter Airport also has a year-round service to Dublin, operated by Aer Lingus, with onward connections to North America and US immigration pre-clearance in Ireland.

Aer Lingus also operates summer flights from Exeter to Belfast, while Aurigny provides year-round links to Guernsey and Skybus offers seasonal direct services to the Isles of Scilly.

Meanwhile, TUI and Ryanair provide the backbone of the airport’s international leisure programme, including year-round flights to Alicante, Malaga and Tenerife, alongside an extensive summer schedule to destinations across the Greek Islands, Balearics, Canary Islands and Turkey.

Exeter is part of UK regional airport operator Regional & City Airports (RCA), which also owns and operates Bournemouth Airport and Norwich Airport.

An independent economic impact assessment carried out for RCA found that Exeter Airport plays a vital role in the regional economy, contributing £54m in Gross Value Added (GVA) and supporting around 780 jobs locally. The airport directly employs around 230 people.