10 November 2008

Carrier cancels scheduled flights until next spring

Spanish airline LTE has cancelled all scheduled services from Norwich Airport until the end of March.

The carrier is currently negotiating with a possible buyer and hopes to be able to relaunch flights from the airport.

LTE managing director Michael Harrington said: Ã¢â¬ÅâœAn offer is currently on the table from a major European group to buy LTE and if this goes through, LTE will become a much stronger company.

Ã¢â¬ÅâœThe group concerned is currently going through Ã¢â¬Ëœdue diligenceÃ¢â¬â¢ with a view to completing the sale as soon as possible.

Ã¢â¬ÅâœHowever, meantime, the Spanish CAA have insisted that we cancel all scheduled services for the winter season.

Ã¢â¬ÅâœWe are continuing to operate charter services and aircraft leasing activities and have not gone into administration. However, the Spanish CAA do not want us to be selling scheduled flights until the proposed buyout is confirmed and a formal contract has been signed.

Ã¢â¬ÅâœAs soon as this has happened, we hope to be up and running again and in a much stronger position. We will then come back to Norwich to re-launch our services and still hope that the position will be resolved before Christmas.Ã¢â¬~

LTE services were suspended last month and the airline previously said it hoped to resume flights from Norwich in December.

But the airportÃ¢â¬â¢s in-house travel agency Travel Norwich Airport received emails yesterday from LTE cancelling bookings for flights until the end of March.

As with the earlier cancellations, passengers who are affected should return to where they originally made their booking to find out about refunds and alternative arrangements.

Travel Norwich Airport is dealing with bookings in date order, and its customers will be able to obtain refunds for their cancelled flights and make alternative arrangements.

Passengers who have flights as part of an ATOL-protected package should contact the tour operator with which they booked.

Those who booked directly with LTE should contact the airline.

by Phil Davies