New Zealand boosts defence spend to US$6.6 billion and vows increased closeness with Australia
This budget will be spent over the next four years and nearly doubles the country’s defence spending as part of GDP to 2%.
Flybe to link Edinburgh and ?the Garden of England?
Flybe has announced a new daily service between Edinburgh and Manston, Kent, in the southeast of England.
The airline notes that, apart from opening up the 'Garden of England', as Kent is known, to the Scottish market, the service also offers regional travellers the only scheduled flight to be currently operated out of Kent International Airport.
The route opens on 27 May with a flight time of 80 minutes operated by Flybe’s 78-seat Bombardier Q400s.
Mike Rutter, Flybe’s chief commercial officer, commented, “We’re delighted to be adding this new service to the southeast [of England] from Edinburgh and also to being the first carrier to offer Kent travellers a scheduled service out of Kent International. It also reflects our commitment to continued growth from our Edinburgh base and also to our development into new regions.”
Edinburgh Airport has welcomed the news. "The creation of this route underlines Edinburgh's attraction as a destination in the domestic UK market and we're excited that Flybe has picked up on the demand to create a link between Scotland's capital and the south of England,” remarked Gordon Dewar, the airport’s managing director.
Kent International Airport is located in east Kent, just a couple of miles from the popular seaside destinations of Margate, Broadstairs and Ramsgate and within easy reach of Whitstable, Canterbury (with its world famous cathedral) and Dover’s iconic White Cliffs.
Matt Clarke, chief executive of Kent International Airport, noted, “I’m sure this route will be hugely popular with people in Kent. Flying to Kent International is a hassle free way to arrive in south east England. Our airport is easy to get to, easy to find your way around and allows passengers to enjoy flying the way it’s meant to be – boarding an aircraft merely metres from where you have parked your car.”
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