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Skybus Wins Interim Contract to Restart Newquay–Gatwick Flights on Nov. 23

An interim award by Cornwall Council restores the link through a wet-lease start before a Skybus-operated ATR72 enters service in 2026.

Overview

  • Flights resume on November 23 with a daily schedule, rising to twice-daily on weekdays from February 14, 2026.
  • Initial operations will use an ATR72 wet-leased from Blue Islands to meet the condensed launch timetable.
  • A Skybus-liveried ATR72 is slated to enter service in mid-2026 under an arrangement with Aurigny, with operations by Newquay-based Skybus crews and engineers, and the airline has pledged to hire local staff laid off by Eastern.
  • Skybus plans to align timetables by February 2026 to offer same-ticket connections between London Gatwick, Newquay, and the Isles of Scilly.
  • The expedited award followed Eastern Airways’ collapse in late October, and Cornwall Council intends to run a longer-term tender from mid-2026.