bmi, the UK`s second largest full service scheduled airline, is launching the only direct daily services from London Heathrow to Tenerife for the winter.

The route, starting on 8 November, will serve both the north and south of the island, with flights to Reina Sofia Airport (TFS) in the south five days a week, and Los Rodeos Airport (TFN) in the north twice a week.

Flights go on sale today (Wednesday 16 July) and fares start at just £73 one-way including taxes - available at www.flybmi.com or by calling 0870 60 70 555. The route will be operated by a 195-seat Airbus A321 offering both business and economy classes.

Austin Reid, chief executive of bmi, said: “We are delighted to be introducing a direct daily service to Tenerife as part of our strategy of offering a wider range of leisure destinations. As the only airline offering this route from Heathrow we anticipate that it will build on the significant success of routes to Alicante and Venice, which were launched from Heathrow in April.

“Flying to both airports in Tenerife gives us the ability to serve two very distinct markets. Reina Sofia Airport serves the popular traditional tourist resorts along the southern coast of the island, while Los Rodeos, close to the capital of Santa Cruz, serves the north, an area growing in popularity for short breaks and second homes, and with a strong expatriate community.”

The route will initially be operated as a winter-only service. Flights will serve Reina Sofia Airport (TFS) on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday; and Los Rodeos Airport (TFN) on Monday and Friday, catering for the short break market.

The Tenerife service will complement bmi`s existing range of Spanish destinations, which includes Madrid, Palma and Alicante. bmi also offers connecting codeshare services in Madrid with its Star Alliance partner Spanair to Gran Canaria, Barcelona, Bilbao, Fuerteventura, Menorca, Asturias, Vigo and Tenerife North (daily).

Flights to Tenerife have been timed to offer convenient connections at Heathrow with bmi`s services from Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dublin, Manchester, Leeds Bradford and Brussels.

——-