Flybe cuts Cardiff Airport flights to Paris and Glasgow

Airline Flybe is to axe its flights from Cardiff to Paris and Glasgow.

Services to Paris Charles de Gaulle and Glasgow will be withdrawn from 19 January, and passengers will be offered alternative flights or refunds.

However, the airline will still run planned flights to the two destinations for fans travelling to Six Nations rugby matches between 20-24 February.

Cardiff Airport said it was speaking to "a number of airlines" about running the Paris and Glasgow routes.

The announcement came as the company finalised its summer 2014 schedule, and confirmed it will keep three existing Cardiff services to Belfast City, Edinburgh and Jersey.

Paul Simmons, Flybe's chief commercial officer, said: "We have taken a long hard look at all the routes we fly from Cardiff to make sure they are what our customers really want and that they operate at the best possible times for everyone."

Exploring opportunities

Cardiff airport chief executive Jon Horne said it was "unfortunate that the popular Cardiff to Glasgow and Paris routes will drop" from Flybe's schedule.

He added: "We are already in discussion with a number of airlines regarding the opportunity to pick up the Glasgow and Paris routes, which currently handle 46,000 and 29,000 passengers respectively per annum.

"Our focus is on securing an alternative carrier as soon as possible in order to avoid any break in service."

"We will also continue to work closely with Flybe and explore with them other route opportunities from Cardiff as their restructuring process continues."

In November Flybe said some of its routes could "possibly" be scrapped after it announced plans to cut 500 jobs.

Although it operates services from Cardiff, the Exeter-based airline does not have any staff based there.

In October it announced four new direct ski routes from Cardiff Airport to Geneva, Lyon, Chambray and Grenoble.

The routes, running from December to April, marked the return of ski destination services at Cardiff after a three-year absence.