Flybe is to start operating flights from London after signing a five-year deal with London City airport.
The major expansion agreement will see the airline fly four times daily from London City to Edinburgh and Dublin, three times daily to Belfast and Exeter and twice daily to Inverness in Scotland.
The routes are on sale immediately and will take effect from October 27. Flybe expects to carry 50,000 passengers a year on the new services.
"Today's announcement is a significant landmark in the re-birth of Flybe," said the airline's chief executive, Saad Hammad.
"We are delighted to re-enter the London market at London's most convenient airport."
Flybe said it expects the new routes to appeal to a “significant number” of City and Canary-Wharf-based passengers that need to access the UK regions and neighbouring European destinations "quickly and efficiently".
As part of the deal, Flybe also plans to introduce off-peak leisure flights to selected ski resorts, as well as regional French and northern Spanish destinations.
The agreement with London City airport follows on from Flybe’s launch of eight routes from Birmingham and four routes from London Southend with franchise partner, Stobart Air.
London City airport’s CEO Declan Collier said the announcement is an “extremely important step on Flybe’s journey” towards major growth.
“London City is poised for significant growth in the next ten years, growth that will see it achieve 120,000 flight movements a year, with an associated six million passengers by 2023,” said Collier.
“Flybe will bring an immediate uplift of up to half a million new passengers to the airport. In addition, Flybe’s selection of routes serves to cement further LCY’s status as the business traveller’s airport of choice, underpinned by our location, convenience and speed customer propositions."
Flybe.com