New flights from Bristol Airport to Paris and Düsseldorf took off yesterday as operator bmi regional extended its route network in the West of England.
The flights, which are expected to boost trade between the region and France and Germany, were launched just over a week after rival easyJet started services on five more destinations from Bristol.
Bmi regional now flies to seven European cities from Bristol – four of them in Germany, a crucial market for West of England businesses.
The airline launched their first direct German link from Bristol in March 2013 with flights to Frankfurt. Since then it has added Hamburg and Munich to its network as well as introducing services to Aberdeen and Milan.
A further new destination from Bristol – Nantes in France – will be launched by bmi regional on July 4. Nantes is a centre for the aerospace industry and home to a plant operated by Airbus.
Bmi regional and the airport believe business travellers will welcome the fact that the Paris service is twice daily, with flights times that make it possible to travel to the French capital for a meeting and return the same day.
Bmi regional’s Paris service competes against easyJet’s once-a-day service on the route, which leaves Bristol in the afternoon.
Bristol Airport aviation director Shaun Browne said: “We welcome the additional routes on bmi regional’s network from Bristol Airport, which are a further demonstration of bmi regional’s commitment to Bristol.
“The addition of these flights provides additional connectivity for business travellers to two major European business centres.
“The timings of the Paris flights will enable the busy business traveller to depart Bristol early in the morning and return the same day, saving valuable time without the necessity of staying overnight.”
The twice-daily Paris Charles De Gaulle flights will operate on Mondays to Fridays with one flight on Sundays.
The once-a-day Düsseldorf service will operate from Sunday to Friday. The city is an important business and financial base in Germany’s Rhine-Ruhr industrial heartland.
Bmi regional CEO Peter Simpson said: “The launch of bmi regional’s Paris and Düsseldorf routes from Bristol mark another milestone in our expansion.
“The double-daily weekday service to Paris Charles De Gaulle is conveniently timed for business passengers who can now have a full day of business in the French capital, rather than having to overnight.”
The Paris and Düsseldorf will be operated by bmi regional 49-seater Embraer 145 jets.
One-way fares from Bristol to Paris start at £69 and fares to Düsseldorf from £79, including all taxes, an in-flight full bar and snack service, 20kg of checked baggage and 30-minute check-in.
Pictured: bmi regional chairman Ian Woodley, left, and Bristol Airport aviation director Shaun Browne, right, with crew members launching the airline’s new Düsseldorf and Paris flights
