This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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New air service between Glasgow and Berlin
15/02/2006
People will soon be able to fly direct from Glasgow International Airport to the German capital.
Transport Minister Tavish Scott today announced that the Executive's Route Development Fund (RDF) will support easyJet in operating a year round service from Glasgow International to Berlin Schönefeld. The service is due to commence on 3 May this year.
Mr Scott said:
"This new air service to Germany will develop the central European market to Scottish businesses particularly technology industries.
"As well as business travellers, tourists will benefit from the new route. People from across Europe will be able to visit our country's many tourist attractions.
"The new route will also provide an opportunity for football fans to fly direct to Berlin this summer. The city is hosting a number of World Cup matches, including the final. Scotland may not be there, but Scots can be.
"The Route Development Fund continues to make a real difference for business travellers and tourists by expanding our direct air services to the rest of the world."
Mary McLaughlin, Director of Transport at Scottish Enterprise, which co-funds and manages the RDF on behalf of the Scottish Executive, said:
"This new service will be a valuable addition to those currently linking Scotland with Germany. The city of Berlin and the wider Brandenburg region operates as a gateway between western and central and eastern Europe and shares many areas of interest with Scotland particularly through hi-tech industries, such as information and communication technology, medical technology and biotechnology."
easyJet will operate Airbus 319 aircraft (156 seats) on a year-round service one rotation a day on seven days per week between Glasgow International Airport and Berlin Schönefeld. The service will commence on 3 May 2006 and will be supported by the Scottish Executive's Route Development Fund (RDF).
This will be the third easyJet service to receive support from the RDF, the others are its Inverness to Bristol and Edinburgh to Geneva services. easyJet currently has operating bases throughout the UK and mainland Europe.
The RDF is provided through the Scottish Budget with £14.4 million funding over the period 2005-06 to 2007-08. The Fund supports new air links where airlines can demonstrate the services will have a direct economic benefit to Scotland. The flights must involve regularly scheduled services and must not undermine existing flights. The exact amount from the Fund given to the airline cannot be disclosed for reasons of commercial confidentiality. 4.Since it was introduced in 2002, the RDF has brought £87 million of economic benefit to the Scottish economy. Last year fund-supported routes carried 891,000 passengers.