A NEW air route linking Oxford and Edinburgh is expected to attract 6,500 passengers over its first 12 months.

Flights to the Scottish capital will begin on Monday, March 1, with the journey taking 90 minutes compared to the average rail journey of six hours.

New airline operator Varsity Express hopes to tap into the tourism market of people visiting both historic cities.

Prices will start at £49 one way, including taxes and charges.

Varsity, which will fly 18-seat British Aerospace Jetstream planes, said it expected to carry 6,500 passengers in the first 12 months.

Commercial director Will Gilligan said: “Oxford is the third most visited English city by international visitors, with 10 million per annum, and Edinburgh is the second most popular destination after London in the UK.

“We have been looking to start a regular shuttle service on this route for some time.

“We have watched with interest the developments and investment at Oxford airport and believe it is a perfect, untapped market with plenty of potential, offering splendid facilities designed for private jet clients, enabling us to offer our passengers quick check-in times.”

News of the flights follows the launch of the airport’s first weekly scheduled service to Jersey and its first European scheduled flights to Geneva.

Airport marketing manager James Dillon-Godfray said: “This is the first daily flight from Oxford and very much begins a new era, where we have something of direct benefit to the business community and tourists who can take a trip to Edinburgh and return within a day.

“This is a fundamental leap forward and is the jewel in the crown of all the routes and operations we now have.

“It makes Oxford a more attractive place to base yourself as a tourist as you can easily visit all the best attractions in the city, the Cotswolds, Bath, Windsor and now Scotland.”

Mr Dillon-Godfray added Amsterdam, Paris, Brussels, Dublin, Belfast and Newcastle were all destinations which could be served by the airport in the future.

Tim Gill, an aviation consultant contracted to Varsity, said: “Edinburgh is the most requested domestic route from Oxford, which by train can take over six hours with at least one change, sometimes three.

“Any day return combination would typically take 13 hours in transit.”

Flights will leave Oxford Monday to Friday at 8am.

The return flights leave Edinburgh at 5pm.

cwalker@oxfordmail.co.uk For more information and to book flights, go to the website flyvarsity.com