DUNDEE AIRPORT owners, Highlands and Islands Airports, are “hopeful” that their efforts to replace the failed flyWhoosh routes from the city will “bear fruit” later this year.

FlyWhoosh grounded its Dundee services to Belfast and Birmingham last month and HIAL have been in talks with a number of airlines since then.

Inglis Lyon, HIAL’s managing director, said, “Discussions are ongoing with airlines regarding new operators for both the Belfast and Birmingham routes formally operated by flyWhoosh and new services at Dundee.

“We believe that there is potential for the development of air links at Dundee and are actively pursuing these.

“Clearly the success of these discussions will depend upon the airlines’ own plans and the availability of aircraft capacity within their fleets, but we hope that our work will bear fruit this year.”

FlyWhoosh began cancelling its services at the start of December when its only plane broke down.

Shortly afterwards, the aircraft, which was provided along with the crew by a Polish company, was taken out of commission.

On December 21, flyWhoosh admitted that it had given up the Dundee routes.

HIAL, who are wholly owned by the Scottish ministers and received subsidies from the Scottish Government, assumed responsibility for the operation of Dundee Airport from Dundee City Council on December 1 and now run it under a subsidiary company, Dundee Airport Limited.