Skybus cancels Newquay – London flights after Cornwall Council discontinues support
February 13, 2026
Cornwall Council has today voted in favour of discontinuing its support for the Public Service Obligation (PSO) route between Cornwall Airport Newquay and London.
As a result, Skybus, the current operator of the subsidised service, has cancelled all flights on the route beyond the end of May.
A PSO route is a transport link deemed essential for a region’s economic and social development but is not profitable to operate on a purely commercial basis. In the UK, PSO routes are jointly subsidised by the Department for Transport (DfT) and local authorities or devolved governments.
Skybus cancels Newquay to London from end May
Managing Director of Skybus, Jonathan Hinkles, confirmed on social media that flights between Newquay and London would cease from 31 May 2026.
“It is bitterly ironic – on Friday 13th of all days, and in the week where passenger loads have been at their highest since the PSO resumed under Skybus operation – that the Council has today voted to close the route,” Hinkles said.
What should passengers holding Skybus tickets do?
Skybus has confirmed that all customer money is secure, and that passengers booked on flights after 31 May will be refunded in full. The airline is in the process of contacting booked customers to arrange refunds.
Skybus had stepped in to cover the route when former operator Eastern Airways fell into administration. With the connection unserved for almost a month, it has taken time to pick back up.
Cornwall Council reported that flights were operating just 20% full in January, but there was a reason for that. Skybus had initially intended to lease an ATR 72 from Blue Islands for the route, an aircraft with around 70 seats, but was left in the lurch when Blue Islands promptly collapsed days later.
For initial flights, Skybus was forced to use a Boeing 737 leased from Ascend Airways, an aircraft with 189 seats. But as the ATR 72 was always the long-term plan, the airline only sold tickets for a 70-seat aircraft.
It wasn’t until 15 January that the airline managed to get a more appropriately sized aircraft – a De Havilland Canada Dash 8-400, operated by Universal Air – to fly the route. Less than a month later, it seems the London dream is over for Skybus.
Cornwall Council withdraws support for London flights
Cornwall Council met today to discuss budgets, which included a discussion on the continued support for the PSO route. Previously, the DfT funded 66.7% of the subsidies paid to Skybus, but notified the council that it would reduce its contribution to 50% this year.
The council has estimated that the subsidies would be in the region of £14 million to £16 million over the next four years of the PSO agreement, half of which would have to come from Cornish taxpayers.
Cornwall Council is already struggling with what it calls a ‘£6.2 million shortfall in Government funding’ – a product of £5.2 million less in grant funding plus a £1 million bill for increased employer national insurance contributions.
During the meeting, Cllr Tim Dwelly, the cabinet member for economic regeneration and investment, signalled that Cornwall hopes to get a commercial operator to connect the county to London instead.
“Our focus now is trying to get flights to London City Airport because we know the business community would prefer that, we know that the landing costs at that airport tend to be lower than airports such as Gatwick,” Dwelly said. “That would be a very different offer than the budget route to Stansted through the current Ryanair flights. This would be about flying straight into the heart of London.”
No low-cost airlines fly into London City, and both Ryanair and easyJet operate aircraft too large to land at that airport. No airline has yet revealed any interest in flying from City to Cornwall.
Dwelly previously said that the London flights were “crucial for both business and tourism.”
Grave concerns for Cornwall’s connectivity
The loss of the route will come as an untimely blow to Cornwall’s residents and businesses. Just weeks ago, the county was cut off from cross-country rail services as storms damaged tracks and flooded sections of line. Even when the trains are running, services to the nation’s capital are long, expensive and unreliable.
There will also be a loss to Cornwall Airport Newquay, which will have been collecting fees on the Skybus service.
“The PSO – 50% funded by the UK Department for Transport, funding which will now be lost – made a huge contribution towards the airport’s finances,” Hinkles explained on social media. “Other commercial air routes operate on the basis of significant discounts to their rack-rate fees and charges.”
NQY is currently served by seven airlines, most of them low-cost carriers. Ryanair provides a connection to London Stansted, but the schedule is sporadic, while easyJet connects to Manchester only.
Low-cost carriers, particularly Ryanair, are well known for pushing for steep discounts on fees for new routes. While airports are glad of the connectivity, they can end up out of pocket compared to hosting a fully paying airline.
In reference to Cornwall Airport Newquay, Hinkles says, “Even if a limited replacement London service now appears, the loss of income to the airport based on huge discounts it has to offer will render its financial position wholly unsustainable.”
For now, Cornish residents doing business in the capital and would-be visitors to the far southwest this summer will be reliant on road and rail for their journeys.
Featured image: Skybus
