CityJet will launch two new routes next summer from London City to Germany – Dresden and Paderborn. Flights to Dresden will commence from 28th March 2013 and services to Paderborn will commence on 22ndApril 2013. Fares to Dresden lead in from £70 one-way and £109 return, while fares to Paderborn lead in at £85 one-way and £129 return, including all taxes and charges.
CityJet will operate six-times weekly services to both destinations with schedules designed to benefit a significant inbound market looking for easy access to the heart of London and the City. In addition, ex-London travellers will be able to access the historic North Rhine area (Paderborn) and Saxony in eastern Germany (Dresden).
The new routes increase CityJet’s network to 22 European destinations across Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and the UK.
Christine Ourmières, Chief Executive, said: “Paderborn will strengthen our offering out of Westphalia while our route in Dresden opens up a whole new region to families and couples looking for a relaxed weekend break or business travellers seeking easy access to the Silicon Valley of East Germany.”
Dresden, on the banks of the River Elbe in Saxony, east Germany is host to a vast array of museums and stunning historic architecture including the Elbe Castle, Villa Quarter, the Semper Opera House and the world-famous Frauenkirche. The ancient is juxtaposed with an extravagant array of modern architecture, which gives Dresden a unique feel. The city is also home to a number of world-renowned performing arts companies based across its abundance of theatres, galleries and museums. Dresden is also home to the semiconductor industry of Germany as well as strong pharmaceutical and engineering industries.
The city of Paderborn, in the North Rhine-Westphalia area of Germany, is situated at the mouth of the Pader River in the heart of Germany. With over 1,200 years of history that includes a medieval cathedral and university, the city loves its traditional festivals and events. It also plays home to over 10,000 members of the British armed forces and their families. In addition it has a large student population and has a number of international companies based in the city, including Wincor Nixdorf, Benteler, Fujitsu and Siemens.
I wonder why CityJet started the service to Germany. Didn’t Air France look for someone to buy that airline? What other reason would there have been not to include it in the ‘HOP’ system?