New Humberside links to Denmark driven by Siemens Wind Power

Industry links between the UK and Denmark and under-pinning two new scheduled routes that will take-off between the countries at the beginning of next week. The new flights between the small Humberside regional airport in Eastern England and Aalborg and Billund in Scandinavia are supporting business trade for Siemens Wind Power but also opening potential leisure opportunities, particularly outbound from the UK.

Sun-Air Scandinavia, a franchise partner for British Airways, will launch twice weekly links to Humberside from both Aalborg and Billund from April 17, 2016. The flights will operate on Sundays and Fridays and follows discussions with Siemens Wind Power, which has facilities close to both Danish airports at Vejle, Brande and Esbjerg.

"We have worked closely with Siemens Wind Power and Humberside Airport to bring this valuable niche market opportunity to life,” confirmed Kristian Tvergaard, commercial director, Sun-Air Scandinavia. "Our strategy is to offer direct routes in close cooperation with the regional business sector, and we pursue this policy with the opening of the route Humberside - Aalborg - Billund.”

It is understood that the flights will be supported by seat guarantees by the company in an arrangement that will provide an economic boost to the Humber and its burgeoning renewables industry. The new route will also open up new opportunities for leisure breaks from the region, with Billund Airport, situated close to the original Legoland, and Aalborg an ideal getaway for city breaks.

"We are excited about the new opportunities that this service will bring to the Humber region. It is great news not only from a commercial perspective, but it also provides further destinations for people across the region to explore. It also establishes links with Scandinavia for European tourists to visit Hull as part of the UK City of Culture celebrations in 2017,” said Deborah Zost, managing director, Humberside Airport.

This is not the first time Sun-Air has worked with industry to support new route launches. Early last year it worked with UK multinational pharmaceutical and biologics company AstraZeneca to introduce two rotations per day, four days per week between Cambridge and Gothenburg from the end of March. It is understood that the business was guaranteeing 20 seats on each of the Dornier 328 flights, which operated for a year-long period but ended last month after Cambridge was closed to regular commercial passenger flights.

Pauline Wade, director of international trade at Hull and Humberside Chamber of Commerce, said discussions on the establishment of these routes have been taking place since November 2015. “Better air connectivity with Europe and the rest of the world is essential if we are to attract further inward investment to Green Port Hull and the wider Humber region,” she said.

“Siemens are key investors in Green Port Hull and this new service will cut commuting time between the companies Danish operations and the new blade factory in Hull,” she added.

Richard Maslen

Richard Maslen has travelled across the globe to report on developments in the aviation sector as airlines and airports have continued to evolve and…