Regional carrier Skybus today operated the first flight on the re-awarded Public Service Obligation (PSO) route between Cornwall Airport Newquay and London Gatwick, closing a two-week gap in Cornwall’s only direct air link to the capital. The service resumes after Eastern Airways collapsed into administration in late October, stranding thousands of winter business and leisure travellers.
Under an emergency contract with Cornwall Council, Skybus will run a daily rotation until 14 February 2026, when weekday frequency doubles to twice daily. The initial schedule is flown by an Ascend Airways-operated Boeing 737 under Aurigny’s AOC before transitioning to a 78-seat Q400 and, later, Skybus’s own ATR-72. Lead-in fares start at £79.99 including a 15 kg checked bag.
![Skybus launches Newquay–London Gatwick service, restoring a vital UK business link]()
For global-mobility teams the reinstated flight slashes journey times for London-based staff visiting Cornwall’s space and renewable-energy clusters—both targets for inward investment. It also secures a same-day connection from Newquay to Gatwick’s long-haul network, critical for expatriates commuting to the Isles of Scilly submarine-cable and aerospace projects.
The PSO carries a £2.5 million annual subsidy but local authorities say the economic return is far higher: a 2024 KPMG study found that loss of the route would cost the Cornish economy £31 million a year and jeopardise 400 jobs. Business groups welcomed the swift hand-over but urged the Department for Transport to expedite the separate four-year PSO tender to ensure long-term stability.
Travellers should note that Skybus tickets are sold on a new booking platform and carry different conditions from Eastern Airways—most notably a 45-minute check-in cut-off and no lounge access at Gatwick. Corporate travel buyers are advised to update booking tools and traveller-tracking systems accordingly. Forward schedules are loaded through summer 2026, giving mobility planners confidence to include Newquay in multi-segment itineraries once again.
Under an emergency contract with Cornwall Council, Skybus will run a daily rotation until 14 February 2026, when weekday frequency doubles to twice daily. The initial schedule is flown by an Ascend Airways-operated Boeing 737 under Aurigny’s AOC before transitioning to a 78-seat Q400 and, later, Skybus’s own ATR-72. Lead-in fares start at £79.99 including a 15 kg checked bag.
For global-mobility teams the reinstated flight slashes journey times for London-based staff visiting Cornwall’s space and renewable-energy clusters—both targets for inward investment. It also secures a same-day connection from Newquay to Gatwick’s long-haul network, critical for expatriates commuting to the Isles of Scilly submarine-cable and aerospace projects.
The PSO carries a £2.5 million annual subsidy but local authorities say the economic return is far higher: a 2024 KPMG study found that loss of the route would cost the Cornish economy £31 million a year and jeopardise 400 jobs. Business groups welcomed the swift hand-over but urged the Department for Transport to expedite the separate four-year PSO tender to ensure long-term stability.
Travellers should note that Skybus tickets are sold on a new booking platform and carry different conditions from Eastern Airways—most notably a 45-minute check-in cut-off and no lounge access at Gatwick. Corporate travel buyers are advised to update booking tools and traveller-tracking systems accordingly. Forward schedules are loaded through summer 2026, giving mobility planners confidence to include Newquay in multi-segment itineraries once again.
