As per the latest decision by the Cornwall Council, the Public Service Obligation (PSO) connecting Cornwall’s Newquay Airport and London Gatwick Airport is set to end. This leaves Skybus — the operator that holds the PSO contract — as well as Newquay Airport in a difficult position, with service set to stop by the end of May.

This decision comes after the government reduced its contribution from 66.7% to 50%, and the council cannot cover the outstanding costs of maintaining the route, estimated at between $19.1 million (£14 million) and $21.8 million (£16 million) over the next four years. It has also not received any alternative tenders that comply with the PSO regulations.

The End Of Cornwall – London PSO

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Skybus, which operates the Public Service Obligation (PSO) route connecting Cornwall Newquay Airport (NQY) with London Gatwick Airport (LGW), will end its service on this route by May 31. This news comes after Cornwall Council voted to end the PSO funding, which not only disrupts connectivity in Cornwall, but puts the future of NQY in jeopardy.

The NQY – LGW route is one that cannot be sustained commercially for a number of reasons. However, because connectivity was important, this route was subsidized and operated as a PSO, with data from the BBC indicating that the government funded 66.7% of the subsidy, while Cornwall Council fronted the rest. However, as reported on Friday, the Government’s share of the subsidy has been reduced to 50%, and the Council has not received a tender from an alternate source that was compliant with the PSO’s regulations.

Ultimately, this has led to the Council axing the PSO when the current contract ends in May, leaving Skybus with a route they cannot operate commercially without subsidies. Skybus currently operates on this route using Universal Air’s Dash 8-Q400 aircraft. Skybus’ Managing Director, Jonathan Hinkles, stated on LinkedIn,

“We have grave concerns about the impact of this decision on Cornwall’s essential connectivity, on continued employment in Cornwall’s aviation sector and most specifically for the viability of Cornwall Airport Newquay.”

The Impact On Cornwall Newquay Airport

Credit: Newquay Airport

NQY is an airport located in the Southwest of the UK, with very limited connectivity. Data shows that the airport mostly connects a few destinations within the UK and Dublin, in Ireland, along with a couple of destinations in Spain.

Therefore, when a route as important as a service to London’s Gatwick Airport is cut (though the service is limited), for an airport of that size, there can be a significant financial impact, when considering charges for landing, infrastructure use, passenger fees and more. Furthermore, axing a route such as this could also negatively impact the broader economy of the locale, affecting connectivity, the spending power, and employment in the area.

Skybus’ MD, in his LinkedIn post, has indicated that it would not be possible to even offer limited service to London on a commercial basis, as the heavy discounts NQY would have to provide to make the operation viable would make it financially unsustainable for the airport.

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More About Skybus’ NQY – LGW Operations

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Until late 2025, this route was operated by Eastern Airways until it collapsed, when Skybus picked up the service. Skybus is the sole operator on this route, and data from Flightradar24 shows that the carrier currently utilizes Universal Air’s De Havilland Dash 8-400 prop aircraft for its services. It is also worth noting that Skybus has previously had other operators with different aircraft types also operate on this route, on their behalf.

The route is currently operated on a daily basis, but the time and the flight number vary depending on the day of the week. These are the following itineraries for Skybus’ operations on this route:

*As per the schedule data, the scheduled departure and arrival times vary by a few minutes on various days.

As per the operator’s webpage, the Dash 8 Q400 currently being operated on behalf of Skybus can accommodate a maximum of 78 passengers, with the aircraft cabin configured in a 2-2 layout, and the aircraft has an operational range of 1,100 NM (2,037.2 km).