At a meeting of Cornwall Council’s cabinet this morning, the Council has voted in favour of discontinuing its support for the PSO air service between Cornwall Airport Newquay and London. At the same meeting, it has been confirmed that support for the air service has been withdrawn from the Council’s budget.
It is with sincere regret that we therefore must confirm that Skybus services from Cornwall Airport Newquay to London Gatwick must cease by 31 May 2026. Our team is proceeding to initiate contact with all passengers who hold forward bookings from that date to arrange a full refund of all monies paid and to convey our disappointment that many must now face arduous alternative travel plans to London.
Skybus stepped in to operate the service from 23 November 2025 following the collapse of the previous operator.
Jonathan Hinkles, Skybus’ Managing Director, said:
“It is bitterly ironic – on Friday 13th of all days, and in the week where passenger loads have been at their highest since the PSO resumed under Skybus operation – that the Council has voted to close the route. We stepped in at short notice to maintain services with high hopes for Cornwall, for the airport and for the travelling public that a long-term solution to connect the county to the capital could be maintained.”
Skybus had submitted a full bid with four options to the Council to continue the PSO from 1 June 2026. We were the only airline to table proposals: the Council has confirmed to Skybus that no other airlines were interested. The Council has, for technical reasons, elected neither to consider our bid nor enter into any dialogue over a single disputed element of Cornwall Airport Newquay’s fees and charges.
“We have grave concerns about the impact of this decision on Cornwall’s essential connectivity, on continued employment in Cornwall’s aviation sector and most specifically for the viability of Cornwall Airport Newquay. The PSO – 50% funded by the UK Department for Transport, funding which will now be lost – made a huge contribution towards the airport’s finances, where other commercial air routes operate on the basis of significant discounts to its rack-rate fees and charges. Even if a limited replacement London service now appears, the loss of income to the airport based on huge discounts it has to offer will render its financial position wholly unsustainable.”
“All we can now do is to express our thanks to all those who have supported Skybus, including our passengers and team members who’ve worked so hard to deliver this at short notice. It is hugely sad that their efforts and commitment could not be reciprocated with fulsome support of the Council, which has clearly had its own agenda that will prove incredibly damaging to aviation in Cornwall for years to come.”
Skybus can confirm that all customer monies are secure and will be refunded for flights booked to take place after 31 May 2026.
Skybus will continue to serve Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, where it has operated successfully for over 40 years.