Commercial flights not imminent - business leader

There have been no commercial flights to and from Carlisle airport since 2019

There is no immediate prospect of a return of commercial flights at an airport which has a new owner, a business leader said.

Cumbrian company, A W Jenkinson Group, took over Carlisle Lake District Airport and said it would invest £5m to create “quality sustainable jobs”.

While it said the previous company had been unable to secure a deal to operate commercial flights, it did not reveal whether it would be pursuing new routes.

Cumbria Chamber of Commerce managing director, Suzanne Caldwell said it was important to have “realistic expectations” of what the new owners would bring.

'Well-regarded business'

There have been no commercial flights to and from Carlisle airport since 2019, when Loganair operated services from Carlisle to Dublin, Belfast and London Southend.

Ms Caldwell told BBC Radio Cumbria: “There’s no immediate prospect of commercial flights, and I think that has to be a longer term goal, but the good news is that Jenkinson’s have bought the airport, the airport is going to be there, it’s going to be invested in and that does leave the door open for the future.”

She described AW Jenkinson’s as a “longstanding and well-regarded Cumbrian business”.

While its plans for the airport have not been revealed, she said there were lots of possibilities.

“There are opportunities for private flights, which is obviously useful for a number of the businesses that we have, she said.

"There are already some aviation-related businesses already on the site and that is great, and there are opportunities for other businesses on that site as well, it’s a great location.”

AW Jenkinson Group bought Carlisle Lake District Airport from previous owner Esken.

At the time it said: "Following the cessation of passenger flying in March 2020 due to the impact of Covid, and despite best efforts by Esken, it has not been possible to identify a commercial airline to partner with to facilitate the recommencement of commercial flying."

It said it aimed to provide the site with "long-term economic purpose".