Flybe has stepped in to run a temporary air link between London and Cardiff during a six-week closure of the Severn rail tunnel.
The regional airline is to run three flights a day on weekdays and two a day on weekends between the Welsh capital and London City airport with one-way fares starting at £34.99.
The airline’s chief executive, Saad Hammad, said: “When the significance of the Severn Tunnel closure became apparent, with the result that for this period there would be no critical rail link between Cardiff and London, we committed to ensuring that Welsh travellers had another viable option.
“We hope these rescue flights will help alleviate the travel woes of the thousands of passengers displaced by the loss of the region’s direct rail services. We look forward to welcoming all new passengers on board.”
London City airport commercial director, Matthew Hall, said: “The Cardiff service will provide business and leisure travellers with a much-needed air link during the rail disruption, bolstering the regional routes which Flybe already offers from London City airport, and ensuring it’s business as usual for the professionals that rely on Cardiff-London connectivity.
“The airport’s close proximity to central London means that customers will spend less time travelling and more time for the purpose of their trip – whether it’s a business meeting or catching up with family and friends.”
Debra Barber, managing director and chief operating officer at Cardiff Airport, said: “We hope to see this new route fully embraced by our customers so that it becomes a permanent part of Flybe’s ever-growing network of routes from Cardiff in the future.”