Trip to Cornwall by Air

[AndrewCrown]

For the benefit of other PH’ers I thought it might be interesting to report on a recent trip.

We had to be in Cornwall last Friday for a wedding.

I discovered Eastern Airways, fly a Gatwick-Newquay route. 1hr 15mins.
For a very reasonable £11 supplement a seat MrsC and I booked first row so it felt a bit like business class.

ATR 72-600



Checked in our luggage due to wedding paraphernalia.
Incredible flight, quiet and stable at 17,000 routed along the south coast, fantastic views.
On board staff were smart, witty, and friendly.,

Cornwall Airport (Now a Spaceport) was little more than a flying club…in and out with luggage in 5 mins.
A very nice chap from Europcar met us and drove us to the car-park as it was a bit cold.,.,

Return trip even easier, checking in luggage half an hour before,

I don’t think I’ll drive down there again, ok so there is a premium with added car hire etc. The reduction in wear and tear is worth it!
Mrs C has been on Rightmove ever since.

[GreatGranny]

Sounds very civilised.

What was the time door to door?

[anonymous-user]

I work with a few guys that used to commute from Newquay using Flybe then that stopped and they were knackered for a bit. Obviously from Cornwall there’s still train and road options.

These airports and airlines using them, are always operating with the tiniest of margins and never secure unless the government decides they’re essential and supports them as happens in some of the Highlands and Islands.

They’re also far more affected by weather as the airports and aircraft can’t function in the same range of weather/wind/visibility as larger aircraft and airports.

[cml24]

I did always have a pleasant experience on Eastern Airways.

They used to operate our work flights out of Scatsta when I lived in Shetland and I used to use them from Durham Tees Valley as it was then called to fly to Aberdeen. On one occasion the staff outnumbered the passengers on board.

I like small airports like Cornwall for exactly the reasons you've mentioned! I don't rule out trips like that via plane, especially when i live 20 minutes train from Gatwick.

[ClaphamGT3]

I have to go to Cornwall about 3/4 times a year as we have a major client there. I always fly from Gatwick to Newquay. It is an easy and extremely reliable service and. for the single/business traveller, the train or driving just makes no sense.

Newquay airport is absolutely great and, like all small airports, super fast and efficient to pass through. I think my record there was walking into the terminal less than 20 minutes before departure and still comfortably making the flight

[nebpor]

I used to fly Eastern from Edinburgh to Norwich, back around 2001-2 .... was a delightful flying experience. Norwich airport was so easy, kinda like the way City used to be, before they ruined it

[AndrewCrown]

GreatGranny said:

Sounds very civilised.

What was the time door to door?

Hotel to Airport 30 minutes
Airport: 45 minutes
Flight: 1 hour
Luggage Pickup 15 minutes
LGW to RTW 40 mins
Just over 3 hours

[languagetimothy]

My late mother used to do that gatwick to Newquay with flybe as my sister lives down that way. So much easier for her than the train. I’d get her to LGW by train as we lived in s.e.London she would get assistance at airport and BIL would pick her up at NQ.

[GreatGranny]

AndrewCrown said:

Hotel to Airport 30 minutes
Airport: 45 minutes
Flight: 1 hour
Luggage Pickup 15 minutes
LGW to RTW 40 mins
Just over 3 hours

That's pretty quick and avoiding driving makes it worth it alone.

[Xenobian]

I've done several flights around the British Isles with Eastern Airways, would fully recommend for any route. They have a rather small network, small planes, generally very reasonable fares, and all brilliantly run. Wonderful little airline.