flybe. (2002) (Exeter) and several other carriers have applied to the UK government for route support through its Regional Air Connectivity Fund (RACF). Unveiled in June 2013, the RACF offers airlines funds to open up domestic and international routes to UK airports which see fewer than 5 million passengers per year. Through the allocation of aid, government hopes the new routes will boost connectivity, trade, and job creation.

In a statement issued late last month, the UK Department for Transport said the following carriers had submitted proposals for the following routes:

Flybe: Dundee-Amsterdam Schiphol (Daily return service starting April 1, 2016); Leeds/Bradford-Edinburgh (Double daily return except Saturday single daily return starting April 1, 2016); Londonderry City of Derry-Birmingham, GB (Daily return service starting April 1, 2016); Newquay-Leeds Bradford (5x weekly return service in summer; 3x weekly return service in winter starting April 1, 2016); Norwich International-Paris CDG (Daily return service starting April 1, 2016); Norwich-Dublin International (Double daily return weekdays single return weekend starting April 1, 2016); and Norwich-Exeter (Daily return service starting April 1, 2016); Southampton-Lyon St. Exupéry (Double daily return weekdays single return weekend starting April 1, 2016); and Southampton-Munich (Double daily return weekdays single return weekend starting April 1, 2016).

Stobart Air (Dublin International): Carlisle-Belfast International (Daily return service starting April 1, 2016); Carlisle-Dublin International (Daily return service starting April 1, 2016); and Carlisle-London Southend (Daily return service starting April 1, 2016).

Links Air (Humberside): Teesside-Belfast City (Double daily return week days, single return Sunday starting September 1, 2015); Norwich-Newcastle, GB (Weekday double daily return starting September 1, 2016); and Oxford Kidlington-Edinburgh (Double daily return week days, single return Sunday starting TBC).

Citywing (Isle of Man): Londonderry-Dublin (Double daily return week days, single return Sunday starting October 25, 2016).

bmi regional (Aberdeen Dyce): Doncaster/Sheffield-Frankfurt International (Weekday return service starting April 1, 2016).

Other routes that have been applied for but whose applicant has not been revealed include: Oban–Barra (3x weekly return flights); and Oban-Glasgow International (2x weekly return flights).

The fund has a total of GBP56 million (USD79 million) available to cover three years of financial support for each route's initial start-up phase. GBP17.5 million (USD26.25 million) has been made available to bids for 2015/16 with around GBP20 million (USD30 million) available for each of the remaining years. Thus far, it has already supported strategic routes from Dundee and Newquay into London.

The Department says it is considering each proposal in line with European Commission (EC) requirements with an announcement on which has made it through the first round of scrutinization to be made in early May.

Those routes selected will then move forward to the strategic and economic appraisal stage, following which successful bids will be announced in July.