British Airways began flying from London Heathrow Airport to Newquay on the 24th of July as part of a PSO (Public Service Obligation) and due to there being no vital link between the Cornish city and the capital. The route was previously operated by Flybe until the termination of its operations in March this year. Peter Downes, Managing Director of Newquay Airport, emphasized on the impact that Flybe’s bankruptcy had on the airport, announcing that: “It was a big loss for the Airport when Flybe collapsed, as they had built up a strong market on their multi-daily service into London Heathrow following the switch from London Gatwick last year. Between March 2019 and March 2020, the Heathrow link carried over 163,000 passengers. The flight operated with an average load factor of nearly 80%, clearly demonstrating its popularity.”. British Airways will operate flights daily to the airport. For anybody who is interested to know what a PSO is the context of European Union law, it is an obligation imposed on an organisation by legislation or contract to provide a service of general interest. This doesn’t mean that PSOs don’t exist in the UK because it has left the EU. 29th of July 2020.
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