BMI Regional is to step up services on several international routes from Scottish airports, citing improving passenger demand and a reduction in competition.

The Aberdeen-based carrier will offer a third frequency on Fridays and a second on Saturdays between Edinburgh and Copenhagen following the decision of Danish carrier Cimber Sterling to come off the route, says BMI Regional general manager, commercial, Chris Graham.

It will also add an extra flight on Mondays and Fridays between Edinburgh and Zurich and reinstate a Saturday flight between Glasgow and Copenhagen.

The services will be flown by either Embraer ERJ-135s or -145s, depending on demand.

"The international routes are looking relatively strong from Scotland at the moment," says Graham. "The new rotations will start from 3 June until the end of August initially; we will then take another look at it."

Graham says the routes serve both business and leisure travellers, with the Glasgow-Copenhagen sector popular as a transit point for business executives heading for other Scandinavian destinations such as Trondheim and Stockholm rather than heading 600km south to connect through London.

Source: Air Transport Intelligence news