Authored by Exeter Airport
Connecting the South West to the world: Exeter Airport welcomes KLM with daily flights to Amsterdam
The South West’s connectivity is set for a major boost with the start this month of new daily flights from Exeter Airport to the international hub of Amsterdam with global airline KLM.
And in further good news, the UK’s largest regional airline Loganair has confirmed that it will launch a new daily service from Exeter to Manchester starting in October.
The new routes have been high on Exeter’s target list following a five-year absence of the Amsterdam link and a three-year gap for Manchester, as the aviation industry recovered from the turmoil of the pandemic.
The arrival of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines is being see as a particular coup for the airport and the region. The global airline has never flown from Exeter before and its new daily service will link the region to its network of worldwide destinations via Amsterdam.
Loganair meanwhile said the new Manchester connection from October was part of a wider growth plan to connect communities across the country and would add to its existing year-round flights from Exeter to Newcastle and Edinburgh.
Exeter Airport saw 440,000 passengers in the last 12 months and remains a major employer in the region with some 230 staff. And it plays a core role in supporting the region’s wider aviation ecosystem. As well as passenger services it is a hub for pilot training, military operations, and maintenance, repair and overhaul of aircraft, and is pioneering national initiatives for sustainable air travel.
KLM’s daily flights to Amsterdam – a game-changer for regional connectivity
From 30 th March KLM will operate every day from Exeter to Amsterdam leaving at 17.20 and with a flight time of about 90 minutes. Services will be operated by KLM Cityhopper using an 88-seat Embraer 175 regional jet aircraft. Customers will have the option to choose between Economy and Business class.
Amsterdam is the hub of KLM’s global network and this summer the airline will fly to 161 destinations, 95 in Europe and 66 intercontinental. And thanks to collaboration with partner airlines, KLM says it can offer an additional 525 destinations which means almost every place in the world can be reached from or via Amsterdam Airport Schiphol.
Exeter Airport managing director Stephen Wiltshire said: “This is a gamechanger for regional connectivity. It opens up global links right on the doorstep with all the convenience of your local airport and none of the congestion of the London hubs.
“We know from our research that there is strong demand for this route from both business and leisure travellers. And from the advance bookings we can see that people are taking the opportunity to connect at Amsterdam with onward services to cities across Europe and further afield to Hong Kong and the USA.
“There’s also a strong inbound market and that will boost the region’s visitor economy. The top 10 source markets for bookings on the route after the Netherlands are Germany, Italy, Belgium, the United States, Switzerland, Norway, Australia, Finland, and France. So people from around the world are using this new route as their gateway into Devon. That’s got to be good news.”
Loganair restores Exeter-Manchester link further strengthening regional links
Loganair has announced the introduction of a new year-round Exeter-Manchester route, starting 26th October. This marks the return of a vital connection to the Northwest last seen from Exeter in 2022.
Luke Farajallah, chief executive officer at Loganair, said: “The addition of the Manchester to Exeter route to Loganair’s extensive network across the UK and beyond further enhances connectivity for leisure and business travellers, supporting our regional economies and allowing customers to travel even further afield with our partner airlines.
“We are committed to providing quality, accessible and reliable air travel for communities across the country and are pleased to further connect the people of Exeter with leisure and business hubs around the UK.”
Exeter Airport is also seeing growth in the holiday market through expanded operations from Ryanair and TUI, both of which now offer a combination of year-round and seasonal flights from Exeter. From May, TUI will have a second aircraft based at Exeter Airport for the summer, providing an additional 80,000 seats for the region and more flexibility in holiday duration and flight times to Spain, Turkey, Cyprus and the Greek Islands.
Exeter Airport’s role in the Hydrogen Challenge – pioneering sustainable aviation
Beyond expanding routes, Exeter Airport is also playing a leading role in shaping the future of sustainable aviation. The UK Civil Aviation Authority recently selected Exeter for the next stage of its Hydrogen Challenge, an initiative designed to explore the potential of hydrogen as a zero-carbon aviation fuel.
Building on previous trials conducted in collaboration with Cranfield University and TUI, Exeter Airport will soon be testing hydrogen-powered ground handling equipment, including a hydrogen-powered aircraft tug and ground power unit. The insights gained from these trials will be crucial in shaping future hydrogen infrastructure and operations at UK airports and are part of the airport’s commitment to make its own operations carbon neutral by 2040 at the latest.
Stephen Wiltshire said: “We are incredibly proud that Exeter Airport has been chosen for the next stage of the Hydrogen Challenge. This trial underscores our commitment to innovation and sustainability in aviation. Working alongside Cranfield University and TUI, we will gain vital insights into how hydrogen can be effectively integrated into airport operations and help pave the way for a greener future in aviation.”
The Hydrogen Challenge aims to bridge knowledge gaps around hydrogen storage, handling, and production at airports, laying the groundwork for a more sustainable air travel industry.
Exeter Airport is owned and operated by Regional & City Airports (RCA), part of Rigby Group plc. RCA also owns and operates Bournemouth Airport and Norwich Airport and holds a management contract for Solent Airport.
