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Andrew Feinberg

White House Correspondent

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British Airways has cancelled all flights due to depart from Southampton Airport next summer.

The airline has confirmed that it is “suspending 2025 operations” from the airport in a shock move for thousands of passengers.

Eleven domestic and European routes from Southampton launched in 2021, with the two latest routes – Bergerac and Mallorca – announced from the city just four months ago.

Since then, BA subsidiary City Flyer has flown holidaymakers from the southern aviation hub to destinations including Dublin, Faro and Malaga on weekends during the summer.

Prospective passengers were reportedly contacted by the airline on Thursday evening with the options to rebook alternative flights with BA or another airline or request a refund.

A spokesperson for British Airways said: “We are suspending our summer 2025 operations from Southampton Airport and contacting any affected customers with options including rebooking on an alternative flight with us or another airline or a full refund.”

The flag carrier airline has yet to give a reason for the service suspension.

Simon Calder, travel correspondent of The Independent, said: “British Airways CityFlyer has a big problem: what to do with its valuable Embraer jets during the weekends when London City is closed for 24 hours to give local residents respite from noise. So it moves them to other airports.

“BA has tried a range of options, but evidently Southampton is simply not profitable enough – given all the competition from Bournemouth, just down the road, as well as Gatwick and Heathrow.”

The move comes just a year after the airport unveiled a 164-metre development to its existing runway.

A spokesperson for Southampton Airport said: “Clearly it’s disappointing when any route is removed, however, we are in constant dialogue with airlines regarding the introduction of new services and that includes backfilling the routes withdrawn by British Airways.”

For more travel news and advice, listen to Simon Calder’s podcast

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