New budget airline flies from UK

The new service would fly from Stansted to Amsterdam

A new budget airline is to operate in the UK for the first time, it has been announced.

Dutch carrier Basiq Air will begin twice-daily services between Stansted airport in Essex and Amsterdam on 26 May, with an introductory one-way fare of nine euros (about £6.30).

The airline is part of Transavia Airlines, which is 80% owned by Dutch national carrier KLM.

Basiq stepped in after budget airline Buzz, now owned by Ryanair, pulled off the route earlier this year.

'Leisure and business'

"We are intending to cater for both leisure and business travellers," said Basiq's marketing and sales executive vice president Gerard Helming.

Basiq was started in December 2000 and has 26 planes.

It already flies to France, Italy, Portugal and Spain. Transavia operated scheduled services between Gatwick airport and Amsterdam from 1986 to 2000.

Meanwhile, Scandinavian airline Norwegian.No, formerly called Busy Bee, is to start five-times-a-week Stansted to Oslo services on 4 June.