Air Southwest

Air Southwest is a popular little airline based in Plymouth in the southwest of England providing time-saving flights between London and Newquay, Cornwall, and other parts of the UK and Ireland. Newquay is a bit out the way; therefore, flying is undoubtedly the ideal way to get there if you are short on time and happen to be arriving at Gatwick Airport. Owned by Sutton Harbour Holdings Plc, Air Southwest started life back in 2003 right after British Airways ceased to operate to this part of the UK.

Air Southwest’s inaugural flight was on the Plymouth-Newquay-London route, followed by the Plymouth-Bristol-Manchester route soon after, and then Jersey. The airline carried over 100,000 passengers in its first year alone and by October 2006, Air Southwest had flown three quarters of a million passengers. Today the airline has its main base at Plymouth City Airport, with hubs at Newquay Cornwall International Airport and Bristol International Airport. The company operates a fleet of reliable and efficient Bombardier 50 seat Dash-8 aircraft to provide low cost transport four times a day between Newquay and London, among other routes.

The London to Newquay route is the mainstay of the airline's operations and flights can be had for as little as GBP£35; a snip when compared with time-consuming rail and/or bus travel. Air Southwest uses the North Terminal at Gatwick International Airport.

Routings to and from Plymouth include London Gatwick, Manchester, Leeds/Bradford, Bristol, and Jersey. Connections to and from Newquay include London Gatwick, Manchester, Leeds/Bradford, Bristol, Dublin, and Cork; and to and from Bristol Airport: Manchester, Leeds/Bradford, Newquay, and Jersey. Prices are very reasonable.

Air Southwest staff are both attentive and friendly and in flight services good. Passengers are permitted to take up to 20kgs of luggage in two bags. Like many other low cost airlines, Air Southwest has gone the online portal route for booking flights and today more than 90 per cent of tickets are sold this way. You can also buy flights through normal channels such as travel agents and by calling airline reservations.