Flybe’s service from the island to London Heathrow will end for the year on October 26.

When the Heathrow route was launched, it was announced as a daily flight with no mention of it being a summer-only route.

The airline started operating flights to Heathrow to a wave of publicity on Sunday, April 21, with a flight flown by Manxman Paul Quine.

This week Flybe launched its winter schedule, due to run from October 27, 2019, to March 28, 2020, including flights to and from the island.

While flights to Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham are available to book for the winter, London Heathrow flights can only be booked up until the end of October.

A Flybe spokesman told the Manx Independent: ’Flybe is closely monitoring customer demand for this new route, added to its 2019-20 summer schedule, to assess the possibility of exploring any opportunities which may arise that could support a longer term commitment at some point in the future.’

But a reader contacted us and said that when they messaged the airline on Facebook to inquire whether the flights would become available, they were told the service was ending in the autumn.

The reply from the company to our reader said: ’I’m sorry to advise that our Isle of Man to Heathrow route would only be available as part of our summer schedule, so we will only be operating direct flights up until October 26.

’I’m sorry for any inconvenience this may cause you.’

When the route was launched, it was praised for giving the island new links to long haul destinations and creating new opportunities for business travel, although there was no early morning or late evening service.

In March, airport director Ann Reynolds said: ’This great news is a welcome addition and is a route that our diverse business economy has been seeking.’

Connectivity

And Roy Kinnear, Flybe’s chief commercial officer, said: ’We are naturally delighted to provide the Isle of Man with renewed connectivity to the capital and onwards to the multiple long-haul destinations available via Heathrow as we start our operations again from the Isle of Man.

’We look forward to welcoming many new passengers on board this direct service.’

Flybe is currently going through a restructuring process having been bought by a consortium led by Virgin and Stobart Air.

The move was seen as part of Virgin’s expansion plans for its own Heathrow base.

In its press release for its winter services, Ronaldsway is not even listed as a Flybe base.

The only reference to the island is being in the list of Manchester flights and the winter skiing trips.

However, a spokesman said this was a ’typo’.