[T]he Prime Minister Theresa May welcomed the return of commercial flights to Carlisle Lake District Airport in the House of Commons this afternoon.
The Conservative premier made the remarks by responding to Conservative Carlisle MP John Stevenson. You can find a transcript of the exchange below.
Carlisle MP John Stevenson said: “Thank you, Mr Speaker. A couple of weeks ago the Prime Minister indicated that she was minded to visit my constituency of Carlisle. I’m delighted to inform the Prime Minister that from the 4 June she will be able to fly into Carlisle on a commercial flight for the first time in 30 years.
“So she will arrive in a city that is in the centre of the United Kingdom and a city recently described as ‘a beating heart’ of the Borderlands region. But if Carlisle and the Borderlands are to succeed, thrive and grow we need government support. Can the Prime Minister confirm that she will give the Borderlands such support?”
Prime Minister Theresa May said: “Can I first of all join my Right Honourable Friend in welcoming the return of commercial flights to Carlisle Airport – this will allow more people to access the Borderlands region.
“He talks about support for the Borderlands, of course the Borderlands Growth Deal, which my Right Honourable Friend the Chancellor committed to is an important part of that, and I would like to congratulate my Honourable Friend on his recent appoint as Borderlands Growth Deal Champion.”
Loganair will operate eight flights per-day across the working week and a total of 12 at weekends, connecting Cumbria and the Lake District, which receives 45 million visitors per year, to London Southend Airport, Belfast City Airport and Dublin Airport.
The routes are already on sole, with all services commencing on Monday 4 June, when CLDA plans to launch commercial and business passenger flights for the first time since 1993. Tickets are available via www.loganair.co.uk.