London City airport calls for prompt air bridge regime

Chief executive Robert Sinclair said a new survey of nearly 5,000 London City airport passengers found "encouraging early passenger demand" and a desire, after months under lockdown, to not only to get away on holiday but to restore business travel links as well.

Just shy of 80% of respondents said they were either very likely (48%) or quite likely to travel when they are told by government, airports and airlines it is safe to do so.

Four in 10 City travellers, meanwhile, said they planned to travel for leisure within the next three months, with business travel achieving the same rate of early renewed interest.

City’s first scheduled flight will operate on Sunday, while Loganair will start its Dundee service on 6 July. Eastern Airways will launch its Teesside route the same day.

“This clear early demand from our passengers to get back to flying is really encouraging," said Sinclair. "We have worked hard to create a safe environment so they can get back to flying in confidence.

"At the same time, we have been careful not to sacrifice the speed through the airport which passengers have always valued and is now more important than ever, as these results show."