325 passengers mark end of Liverpool Airport's New York flights

Nov 26 2007 by David Higgerson, Liverpool Daily Post

JUST 325 people flew to New York on Liverpool’s now defunct airlink to the American city last month, new figures have revealed.

The route, operated by budget Scottish carrier Flyglobespan, ended on October 31 after five turbulent months.

The Civil Aviation Authority figures for October show a drop from 460 passengers in September, although both Flyglobespan and JLA bosses believed the figure was higher.

In June this year, the first full month of operation, more than 3,500 people flew on the route.

The company was also hit by the temporary loss of a licence which allows it to fly directly across the Atlantic in October.

The CAA suspended the ETOPs licence for Flyglobespan, the first time in 15 years it has made such a move, which forced the airline to take a longer route which kept it within 60 minutes of an airport at all times.

That, combined with a decision to use smaller aircraft on the JLA to JFK route, meant several flights had to make extra re-fuelling stops en-route, in addition to calling in at Knock Airport in Ireland to pick up passengers.

When Flyglobespan launched the route in May, it operated at least five times a week and began taking booking for the winter schedules too.

But a series of high-profile delays caused by technical problems – culminating in a five-day wait for passengers trying to get home from New York in July – led to passenger numbers falling and ultimately the decision by Flyglobespan to pull out of Liverpool altogether.

Last month, the company told the Liverpool Daily Post it intended to launch a series of new routes from JLA.

“The successful summer season service between Liverpool and New York and our associated aircraft leasing agreement with Iceland Air ceases on October 31.

“We thank our valued passengers and look forward to introducing them to new travel opportunities in 2008/9.”

Since then, Flyglobespan has announced much of its summer schedule for next year, including flights out of Manchester Airport.

But nothing has yet been confirmed for Liverpool, and no-one from the company was available for comment last night. Staff at the company’s call centre said they had not heard anything about new routes from Liverpool.

davidhiggerson