Budget airline takes off for the Falklands

FLYGLOBESPAN, best known for budget flights from Scotland to beach resorts, is to spread its wings a little further afield – with a service to the Falkland Islands.

The Edinburgh-based airline has won a two-year Ministry of Defence contract to fly troops and civilians to the South Atlantic islands twice a week from next month. The service, known in the Islands as the airbridge, will depart from RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire.

Councillor Mike Summers of the Falkland Islands government said: "The airbridge is an essential component of the Falklands' communications with the rest of the world.

"In the last 15 years we've had an alternative air link through Chile, but it's highly restricted by Argentine political activity, so the airbridge remains an important link for the Falklands."

The journey takes 17 hours and a return ticket costs £2196.

• Two air links between Edinburgh and Poland are set to be axed. The Centralwings routes from the Capital to Gdansk and Warsaw will stop on October 25.

The firm's website said: "In response to the falling interest of passengers in some of its connections, Centralwings has suspended some of the connections or reduced frequencies."