The Sky’s the Limit!
NEW Loganair Heathrow Service Takes off from City of Derry Airport
Saturday 6th May 2023 was a proud and momentous day for the management and staff at City of Derry Airport, and the entire Northwest region, as the first service in history between City of Derry and London Heathrow Airport took to the skies. The new service operated by Loganair, who have a long-standing partnership with the Airport spanning over four decades, is now available three times per day. This not only provides frequent air access to one of the world’s leading transport hubs, but also offers a fast and convenient gateway for international outbound travel and inbound tourism opportunities via the Northwest.
The launch was celebrated at the Airport with special guests; Cllr Sandra Duffy, the Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Anna Doherty, CEO of Londonderry Chamber of Commerce, James Kilgore, Vice President of Causeway Chamber of Commerce, Shane Grant, Board Member at Letterkenny Chamber of Commerce, and Ciaran Doherty, Head of Regions at Tourism NI.
The passengers on the inaugural outbound London Heathrow service received some VIP treatment with the provision of some complimentary refreshments and goodies to get their trip off to a best start, and the first inbound passengers also received a truly memorable ‘Welcome to the Northwest’ with a water cannon salute to celebrate the inaugural arrival from London Heathrow!
Steve Frazer, Managing Director at City of Derry Airport, expressed his delight at the launch: “The take off of Loganair’s new service between City of Derry Airport and London Heathrow Airport is a significant milestone for us. Gaining international hub access is a substantial step in the economic and strategic growth of the region and our vision for the future of the Airport.
“In terms of outbound travel, London Heathrow truly opens a ‘Gateway to the World’, as passengers are now able to book single ticket connections to and from City of Derry Airport via London Heathrow to 119 destinations across 56 countries.
“Destinations across Europe, Middle East, North and South America, Africa, Asia and Australasia will all soon be available from City of Derry Airport through Loganair’s partner airlines such as British Airways, Emirates, Etihad, Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines, KLM / Air France, Virgin, Singapore Airlines and Finnair, with several more to follow, all from the convenience of your local Airport.”
Mr. Frazer continued: “We look forward to welcoming the world to the Northwest and connecting our people across the globe, with our own world class welcome and customer service experience.”
Jonathan Hinkles, Loganair’s Chief Executive, said: “This is a milestone moment for Loganair – and indeed for regional connectivity as we operate the first flights between City of Derry and London Heathrow.
“Those travelling from Northern Ireland can take advantage of Heathrow’s improved access into central London via the new Elizabeth Line or its vast range of onward flight connections as an international hub. In return it also opens the possibilities for business and leisure travellers to visit City of Derry, with a choice of three departures in each direction every weekday throughout the year.”
The Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council Cllr Sandra Duffy was delighted to be part of the official launch of the route to London Heathrow. “The new route between City of Derry and London Heathrow is great news for the city and region. This connection not only sees the retention of this vital service to London that is so important to our local business community, but it further opens up access to destinations right across the world, which will be of huge benefit to both business and tourism. This new arrangement offers passengers a wide range of benefits with increased availability in flights and reductions in travel times, that will further enhance the first class travel experience already offered by City of Derry Airport.”
For more information on Loganair’s NEW service between London Heathrow Airport and City of Derry Airport, and the onward international connections to 119 destinations across 56 countries, visit www.loganair.co.uk.
