Wales' last direct route to Paris from Cardiff Airport scrapped

Eastern Airlines has scrapped its direct route to Paris from Cardiff Airport eleven months after its launch in 2023.

The airline announced that its direct route from Cardiff to Paris Orly will end on Saturday, March 30, the Cardiff to Paris route by Eastern Airlines was the last direct route to operate from Cardiff Airport.

Customers looking to travel to Paris from Cardiff will now have to either travel from Bristol Airport or fly to Paris from Cardiff via Amsterdam after it was the last direct route from South Wales.

A spokesperson for Cardiff Airport said: “Another Airline has pulled out of We can confirm that Eastern Airways have advised they are suspending the Paris Orly route from the start of the summer schedule.

“Eastern do make use of facilities and fly regularly from Cardiff for charter flights, as and when required.

Our team are actively speaking to airlines to provide direct flights between Cardiff and Paris.

“We know our customers living in Wales are keen for more choice and great prices from our airport.

“Wales does remain connected to 8 cities in France daily with our fantastic KLM flights via Amsterdam. Customers can choose to fly from Paris twice daily to Bordeaux, Lyon, Toulouse, Marseille, Nantes, Strasbourg and Nice.”

Eastern Airlines is the third airline to pull out of the airport after low-cost carrier Wizz Air permanently pulled out of using the airport in January 2023.

Qatar Airways suspended its long-haul service to Doha at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, leaving the airport struggling to restore passenger numbers to pre-pandemic levels.

Wizz Air and Qatar airways have already pulled services from Cardiff Airport. Picture: Pexels (Image: Pexels)The Welsh conservatives have responded to the latest news and believe it could have an impact on finances for the airport.

Natasha Asghar MS, Shadow Transport Minister, said: “With yet another airline pulling out and the much-promised Cardiff to Doha route still nowhere to be seen, Cardiff Airport continues as a failed endeavour under the Welsh Labour Government.

“Cardiff Airport is an albatross around the neck of this Labour Government with Ministers spending tens of millions of pounds to prop it up after year on year of financial losses.

Natasha Asghar MS, Shadow Transport Minister responds to Eastern Airlines pulling its direct services from Cardiff Airport to Paris. Picture: PA Wire - Ben Birchall (Image: PA Wire - Ben Birchall)“Diversification of the airport has to be the utmost priority for Labor’s new Transport Minister if we are to see any real positive changes in the years to come.”

As Cardiff Airport is owned by the Welsh Government they were contacted for comment along with Eastern Airlines.