Gloucestershire Airport (dubbed Gloucester M5 because it is just five minutes' drive from the M5 motorway and the A40) is to get its first scheduled flights. Their first destination will be the Isle of Man with Manx2.com, the expanding Isle of Man-based regional operator with the double daily morning and evening service starting on September 3. The twelve flights per week schedule will be complemented by an onward service to Jersey at the weekends. The route will be flown by a Beechcraft 1900D, the popular 18-seat pressurised turboprop aircraft with a fully stand up cabin interior. Journey time to the Isle of Man will be less than one hour.

Gloucestershire Airport's raised status as a scheduled service provider is especially welcome for an airport which played such an important role last month helping the county recover from its largest peacetime emergency. During the flood crisis it handled 100 emergency helicopter flights and dispensed over 70,000 litres of fuel, keeping the rescue helicopters on task with rapid despatch times. The airport even became a temporary home for eight people and three cats.

Gloucestershire (M5) Airport was chosen by Manx2.com as a perfect departure point because of its remarkable location and easy accessibility from Worcestershire, Oxfordshire, Wiltshire, Bristol and the West Country, Central and South Wales, as well as its immediate cities of Gloucester and Cheltenham, both just 10 minutes away from the Airport. However, it is the excellent road network surrounding Gloucester (M5) that makes it such an easy airport to fly into. The north/south M5 motorway is less than five minutes away as is the A40 trunk road linking the Airport with Oxford and South Wales. Other nearby major roads put Swindon, Newbury, Salisbury and even Winchester all within easy reach.

Its compact, modern terminal is designed to transfer passengers from car to aircraft in just a few minutes, cutting out all the time and stress associated with big airports. Check-in time is just 30 minutes. And, for the first year of the service, passengers can also benefit from free car parking.

"Gloucestershire Airport is an airport at the right place at the right time," said Mark Ryan, Airport Director, referring to the increasingly uncomfortable experience that passengers are enduring travelling through the London hubs and other large regional airports right now. "The experience at Isle of Man Ronaldsway Airport is equally pleasant and thus the whole flying experience becomes pleasant and efficient again."

Gloucestershire Airport has the capability, with its existing facilities to handle up to 250,000 passengers a year on aircraft no larger than an ATR42. "We are absolutely delighted to have this new link with Manx2.com to the Isle of Man and onwards to Jersey at the weekends," he said, adding that he is hopeful that more destinations would be added to the Airport - especially Edinburgh and Southern Ireland.

Ann Reynolds, recently appointed Airport Director at the Isle of Man Airport, explained the background to the choice of Gloucester (M5) as its next destination from the Isle of Man. "We have been conscious of a shortfall in capacity to this part of the UK and the lack of a day return service to the Island west of Gatwick and south of Birmingham."

"A huge amount of research was undertaken to pinpoint the best airport in this area to serve the needs of the Isle of Man and Gloucester (M5) came out on top with its remarkable accessibility. The service will also bring back simple and stress free air travel with the transfer between plane and car undertaken in minutes, making the Isle of Man an even easier place to take a break. We are delighted that Manx2.com have taken this initiative and I am confident that once our passengers have experienced the convenience and ease of this route, the route will do very well."

As well as the obvious business advantages of the schedule, the new route will open up the Isle of Man as a convenient short break leisure destination from Gloucestershire and the surrounding area and also provide a fine destination for Isle of Man residents to enjoy a short break holiday.

"The Isle of Man is a great place to relax, with terrific scenery, history and a host of things to do," said Ann. "The fact that the Isle of Man will be initially the only daily destination from Gloucester (M5) Airport will ensure that the Island is extremely attractive to people living in Gloucestershire," said Ann. "Isle of Man Airport is working closely with our Department of Tourism and Leisure colleagues to maximise the impact of this unique air service in the Airport's catchment area."

The route to Gloucester (M5) and the new weekend connection to Jersey boosts Manx2.com's route network from the Isle of Man to five destinations. It currently serves Isle of Man from Leeds Bradford, Belfast International, Belfast City and Blackpool.

"We believe this new service opens up many new opportunities to fly visitors to the Isle of Man, whilst at the same time being a very convenient route for Manx customers. Once they see just how many places are easily accessible from Gloucester (M5), we think customers will realise its true potential," said Manx2.com Communications Director, James Filleul.

The new service is already on sale with Manx2.com and bookings can be made on their website by visiting www.manx2.com.