News / Airport reveals its fastest transatlantic route
MANCHESTER Airport has revealed its quickest ever transatlantic route will launch later this year.
Direct flights to Halifax, Nova Scotia in Canada, will start in June with WestJet, which will start operating from the northern gateway for the first time.
The service will cross the Atlantic in just over six hours on the way to Halifax, and five hours on the return, making it the quickest route to North America and Manchester Airport‘s shortest long-haul route.
The new route is good news for northern travellers and the 1,600 companies in the north west that do business with Canada. Halifax is the capital of the Canadian province of Nova Scotia and is a major economic centre, with a large concentration of government and private sector companies.
It could also lead to an influx of Canadian Coronation Street fans in Manchester - which is a popular TV programme in the country.
The route will enable passengers to connect to a wide range of services to other Canadian destinations, such as Ottawa, Calgary and Edmonton.
Andrew Cowan, CEO of Manchester Airport, said: “This will be the fifth long haul route to launch at Manchester Airport in 2020, underlining the role we play in giving people and businesses across the north direct access to key tourist destinations and economic hubs.
“North America is a hugely popular market for the 22m people living and working in our catchment area and I am sure this service to Halifax will be welcomed by leisure and business passengers alike.
“We look forward to welcoming WestJet to Manchester Airport and supporting their growth here in the years ahead.
“It is an exciting time to start flying from Manchester, with our £1bn investment under way and customers set to enjoy the benefits of our new state-ofthe-art facilities later this year.”
James Penfold, controller of partnerships at ITV, said: “We’re incredibly fortunate to have a very passionate Canadian fan base for the programme and have loved to welcome international visitors to the official Coronation Street Tours, which we operate on the external LOT at select weekends, over the years.
“This new transatlantic route will serve as a speedy and direct connection to our heartland for fans, giving so many more the opportunity to now wander through Weatherfield and down the infamous cobbles.”
Sheona Southern, managing director of Marketing Manchester, said: “This is excellent news for leisure and business travellers in the Canadian region who will enjoy direct access to the city within 20 minutes and a growing selection of high-quality hotels and attractions.
“As home to Coronation Street, known to be a firm favourite for Canadian TV viewers, visitors can tour the famous studios, alongside museums and striking waterside views at its home in Salford Quays.
“With a growing cultural scene, exciting food, music and visitor attractions, there has never been a better time to visit Manchester.
“Canadian investment in the UK has continued to grow steadily over the last three years and this new route will improve Manchester’s position in attracting more businesses from the Canadian region to set up in Greater Manchester.”
WestJet already has several routes to the UK but this is the airline’s first at Manchester Airport.
The new route is the latest addition to its departure board, with services to Dhaka, Sylhet, Shanghai and Boston already announced for 2020.