Airline pulls out of airport after lack of ticket sales

BUDGET airline Primera Air is to pull the plug on European shorthaul flights out of Birmingham Airport later this year.

The Latvian carrier will stop running services between Birmingham and Palma de Mallorca and Barcelona from September 3. Routes between Birmingham and Alicante, Las Palma, Malaga, Reykjavik and Tenerife will stop running from October 29.

The operator blamed lack of demand despite positive signs from trading earlier in the summer.

It will also ceased Stansted services.

Primera Air said in a statement : “Unfortunately, Primera Air has not seen the demand required on its shorthaul winter schedule to make operating from Birmingham Airport commercially viable for the business.

“This is why the airline will unfortunately now cease its short-haul routes from the airport.

“Earlier in the summer, these flights showed a positive trend.

“However, after getting closer to the departure dates, the sales results didn’t match the forecasted results and this meant it was not commercially viable to fly these routes.

“All affected passengers have already some London been informed. Our priority is ensuring those affected passengers are compensated... and alternative travel arrangements have been offered to them as well as the option of a full refund if appropriate.

“We are committed to minimising any disruption and are deeply sorry for the inconvenience this may cause.”

This latest news follows the announcement in June that Primera Air was suspending services from Birmingham to Newark Airport near New York and Toronto.

Primera Air also announced last year that it would launch new flights to Boston from June 2018 but said in January the plan was being abandoned due to poor take up.

The end of its short-haul flights in October will bring a complete end to Primera Air’s brief relationship with the airport although long-haul services could return.

Primera Air added: “The airline will need to carefully consider what is right for the business in 2019 regarding long-haul services from Birmingham and will take a decision early next year.”

Birmingham Airport said: “This is disappointing, especially as there is so much demand for these destinations.

“We are pressing the airline to provide refunds as quickly as possible to allow passengers to re-book with other carriers from Birmingham.”