Pictured: Marc Watkins, business development manager at
Coventry Airport (left) with Greg Little, general manager at
Atlantic Airlines
Coventry Airport is set for a fresh era after a new deal has
been reached to make it fully operational by re-starting its cargo
flights.
Sixteen jobs have been created after flights have been
introduced to Maastricht in the Netherlands, Lille in France and
the Republic of Ireland capital Dublin after a six-figure deal was
agreed with Atlantic Airlines which is part of the West Atlantic
Group.
Sir Peter Rigby, owner of Coventry Airport, said this was a
statement of intent to take the airport back to full operation.
"This is our first step on the way to becoming a commercially
active airport once again," he said.
"At the moment we have flying schools, business jets, general
aviation and helicopter activity but signing the contract with
Atlantic Airlines is an important milestone in terms of the airport
moving back to where it was previously.
"Cargo services were moved to Birmingham Airport when Coventry
Airport closed temporarily in December 2009 and it has been a
target of mine to see these flights return to Coventry since I took
over the airport last year.
"This is a positive milestone for the future of the business and
a signal of our intent to continue driving Coventry Airport
forward."
Marc Watkins, business development manager at Coventry Airport,
said the site's central location in England was crucial in
re-starting cargo flights.
He said: "Ten jobs have been created across the air traffic
control, operation and fire departments while six jobs have been
transferred from Birmingham due to the return of Atlantic
Airlines.
"As a result of the resumption of cargo flights, we are already
talking to other airlines to gain further business."
Atlantic Airlines' general manager Greg Little expressed the
airline's pleasure at returning to Coventry Airport.
He said: "We are delighted to return to Coventry Airport, our
engineering base, and centre of operations.
"We will be working closely with our customers and the Coventry
Airport team to develop additional air cargo services now that the
airport has regained the capability to support this."
Atlantic Airlines is part of the West Atlantic Group, Europe's
largest regional cargo operator.
Bespoke Distribution Aviation (BDA), which is chartering the
majority of space on these flights, has moved all of its UK
operational services to Rowley Road at Coventry Airport.
BDA specialises in the daily movement of time critical spare
parts by air from sectors such as medical, agriculture, hi-tech and
the material handling industries, from across Europe for next day
delivery throughout the UK and Ireland.