City Airport Aims for Leisure Travellers

A new rail link between central London and London City airport is paving the way for leisure travelers to take advantage of cheap and convenient off-peak flights.

The Docklands Light Railway will run a direct service between the airport and Fenchurch Street via Limehouse from December. The £52 million link is the first move in improving London's transport infrastructure in preparation for the 2012 Olympics.

Since opening its doors in 1987, City airport has traditionally been used by businessmen and women, politicians and celebrities with around 150,000 passengers a month.

Now it wants to cash in on the growing budget travel market to fill its empty off-peak seats. Airport managers anticipate that the new link will bring the number of passengers up to two million a year.

At present those who use the airport arrive and leave by taxi but the airport the new rail service will mean no park and ride, no costly parking and no queues at check-in.

David Nye, regional manager for VLM UK, says that the number of leisure users will triple.

"It's all about changing people's perceptions. City Airport is seen as a place for the business traveler. From December that will no longer be the case thanks to the DLR. We very much want to exploit that," he told icEssex.

But although peak prices will still remain high, an off-peak return flight to Amsterdam with VLM could cost £110 inclusive of free food and drink and the comfort of leather seats.

However, the airport's location also means that no flights are allowed after 9pm or between noon Saturday and noon Sunday.