Skybus Cancels Newquay-Gatwick Flights Over Fuel Costs

A British airline has abruptly canceled its daily flights between Cornwall's Newquay Airport and London Gatwick, citing soaring fuel costs from the ongoing conflict in the Gulf and a sharp decline in passenger numbers. Skybus, which took over the route in November 2025 after the previous operator Eastern Airways collapsed, announced the suspension effective Friday, April 3, with the final departures scheduled for Thursday, April 2, nearly two months ahead of the original May 31 end date.

The service operated under a public service obligation funded jointly by Cornwall Council and the Department for Transport to maintain connectivity for the remote Cornish region. Skybus began the roughly 80-minute flights on November 23, 2025, as an interim measure following Eastern Airways' administration. Although the council had signaled in February that it would not extend the obligation due to a lack of new tenders, the early termination stems primarily from external pressures. Managing Director Jonathan Hinkles stated that "the huge rise in the global cost of fuel following the conflict in the Gulf, coupled with a significant drop in new passenger bookings since mid-February's...