Airline Flybe has launched a new route between the island and London Southend airport.
Seven flights a week will operate on the route from the end of March next year.
Flybe delivered a blow to the island in September when it announced it was closing its newly reopened base at Ronaldsway and pulling its Heathrow service after just one season.
Following its sale to Connect Airways, the airline is to be rebranded as Virgin Connect from next year.
As part of part of its new commercial arrangement with Stobart Air, it will offer six new routes to and from London Southend Airport - in addition to the Isle of Man there will be Belfast City, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Newcastle and Jersey.
They will be operated by three of Flybe’s own 78-seat De-Havilland Q400 turboprops based in Belfast City, Edinburgh and Glasgow alongside two 70-seat ATR aircraft based at Southend.
The seven flights a week between Ronaldsway and the Essex airport will operate between Sunday March 29 and Saturday October 24 inclusive.
Connect Airways’ chief executive officer Mark Anderson said: ’The schedule includes many of our most popular high frequency services with better timings to accommodate our frequent fliers as well as new flights from London Southend airport.
’By increasing our presence at London Southend our customers will also, for the first-time next summer, benefit from Flybe’s ability to create a truly customer-centric regional network.
’This schedule strengthens Flybe’s commitment to providing unparalleled connectivity from regional airports to destinations across the UK, Europe and beyond.’
He added: ’As Flybe moves towards its full re-brand as Virgin Connect next year, we are proud of the role the airline continues to play in bringing people and communities even closer. We look forward to welcoming all our customers on board next summer.’
The possibility of flights being launched to the Essex coast airport was raised in September by Brexit minister James Duddridge, MP for Rochford and Southend East, during a visit to the island.