easyJet cancel Newcastle – Prague flights
26.04.09
easyJet has axed its Newcastle Airport to Prague route - one of six services launched in a blaze of publicity in 2003. Since then, the budget airline has carried tens of thousands of passengers from Tyneside to the Czech capital, which is a popular destination for sight-seers and stag parties. But the Journal has revealed that the airline cancelled the Prague route without making any public announcement.
The loss of the Prague route comes amid a decline in business at Newcastle Airport, which saw passenger numbers fall from 5.6 million in 2007 to 5 million last year. Union leaders say the mood among the 750 workers at the airport is ‘apprehensive’ as airlines seek to cut costs. Graham Eastwood, the regional industrial organiser for Unite, told the newspaper: ‘Obviously easyJet never consults with the union or its workforce, but we fear that the withdrawal of the Prague route is based on the lack of demand. Because of the recession and the effects on the tourist industry, there is a lot of apprehension and insecurity among staff at Newcastle Airport.’
However, an easyJet spokesman said the plane used for the Prague flights had merely been switched to the recently-launched Malta route and no other routes or jobs are under threat. He told the Journal: ‘The Prague route has ceased operating due to demand. Basically, not enough customers wanted to fly on that route. Overall trade is going well at Newcastle, with Alicante, Faro, Palma and Malaga still the most popular destinations.’
A Newcastle Airport spokesman said: ‘We wouldn't want to comment other than to say that our service with easyJet is strong,’ which does not sound very reassuring to us.
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