More competition for LCY-AMS: Eastern Airways steps in

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UK regional Eastern Airways will enter the busy London City (LCY) to Amsterdam route early next year. The move has been sanctioned by the OFT (Office of Fair Trading). It is part of a deal which will allow the Air France-KLM airline grouping to take control of Belgian airline VLM, which will have to surrender some peak hour LCY slots to the newcomer.

Eastern Airways has permission to fly up to eight times a day on weekdays starting from next January. Four of these services will operate at peak times.

Eastern will face a tough challenge with LCY-Amsterdam. It will be competing against VLM and KLM's turbo-prop aircraft, and BA's jets. All these carriers offer convenient schedules.

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