The new Dundee-London Stansted route took off on its first big test on Monday, and achieved a score of less than 50%.
Only 14 of the 31 seats were taken on the Monday morning service that is expected to be the busiest flight of the week between the two airports. On the night flight home there were only seven passengers.
The majority of those who boarded at Dundee at 7am were people whose work takes them regularly to London, including people from Tayside and Fife who have jobs in the capital and come home for the weekend.
The general response to the new service from the travellers was one of cautious optimism, but they did highlight drawbacks with timings and travelling distance that may have to be overcome if it, or the service that succeeds it, is to be a success.
Flybe/Loganair stepped in with the stopgap service after Cityjet closed its route from Dundee to London City which it found impossible to operate profitably.
The decision triggered alarm bells for the future of the Riverside airport where Cityjet was the only scheduled operator.
Dundee’s status as a leading Scottish city and the regeneration the local economy through projects like the £1 billion waterfront redevelopment would be jeopardised without service to the London area.
Dundee City Council and Transport Scotland salvaged the situation by agreeing a £400,000 subsidy for Flybe/Loganair, who will operate the Stansted flights until a longer-term operator can be found.
A Public Service Obligation subsidy is being offered to a future operator by the Westminster Government under a European Union scheme to maintain air services on routes which are deemed commercially unviable but vital for a region’s economic development.
The council is looking for a future operator who can offer a scheduled route between Dundee and any airport in the London area. Cityjet axed its service at the weekend after failing to find a winning financial formula. Flights were reduced from two to one a day and return fares soared to more than £500.
Flybe’s twice daily weekday fares start at a more reasonable £150 return, although one passenger yesterday who was able to book only last week had to pay £249.
Flybe passengers heading to central London have to take the Stansted Express train to Liverpool Street station and a journey of just over 50 minutes. Cityjet passengers had the benefit of being closer, with the Docklands Light Railway ride from London City taking just 20 minutes.
Many of the cheaper options are at Edinburgh Airport, whose chief executive recently slammed efforts to preserve a Dundee-London air route as a waste of public money. He believed public funds would be better spent improving road and rail links to his airport.