Southend Airport is looking to bring back flights to a popular destination from winter 2023.

Airport bosses are urging interested airlines to get in touch to get flights to Strasbourg this winter up and running, as the route from London to the French city is currently untapped.

Southend Airport has direct rail access from central and east London in as little as 43 minutes.

Business development director Nigel Mayes said: “At its peak in 2015, the direct route to Strasbourg was used by more than 90,000 passengers, largely by yield-positive business travellers.

"We, alongside a new airline partner, are looking to reinstate this popular and profitable destination to provide what would be the only direct service from London to Strasbourg.

“Strasbourg, as a city, holds the formal seat of the European Parliament and hosts multiple international institutions, yet there are no current direct flights from London.

“We want to change that.

“In 2019 alone, London to Strasbourg reached a load factor of 83 per cent, something that we’d strive to repeat, if not surpass, with a direct route from London Southend from this winter.”

Airlines who are already protecting their long-term London capacity growth are engaging with our London airport; easyJet has replaced four of the 40+ routes that were successful in 2019.

The London to Strasbourg route was predominantly used by travellers working in London and living in east London, Colchester, Cambridge, and Chelmsford – all within a 35-mile radius of Southend Airport and from within its 8.2m catchment area, according to ASM’s Catchment Analyzer.

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Nigel added: “Strasbourg and London are a pair of thriving, cosmopolitan destinations which combine the best of both worlds, old and new, making them an attractive tourism hotspot.

"If an airline is keen to discuss this route, I’d love to hear from you and get London Southend to Strasbourg up and running.”