La Compagnie suspends its business-only London to New York service from end of the month
A business class-only airline blamed the Brexit vote for its decision to suspend its London to New York route.
La Compagnie said that the outcome of the EU referendum had created "long term uncertainty for the airline industry" and decided that it would replace the London Luton departure with a second daily flight from Paris to the Big Apple.
"The result of the EU referendum has created an unprecedented level of legal and economic uncertainty for airlines that service Great Britain,” said La Compagnie founder Frantz Yvelin.
"Consequentially La Compagnie will focus on the Paris to New York route for the foreseeable future."
Load factors on the Paris to New York route are "already 80 per cent plus" compared to the 77 per cent on the London to New York journey.
And the Brexit vote provided a catalyst for La Compagnie to undertake a "detailed analysis of this new environment" – after which it concluded that moving the route from Luton to Paris was the best way forward.
Read more: Wizz Air takes UK business elsewhere "as direct result of Brexit
"We are the firmest believers of the UK’s unique market position, hence the decision to invest heavily in our London route for the past 16 months," said Yvelin
"This has not been an easy decision for us to make but we would like to emphasise that this is the suspension of, not the cancellation of, the London [Luton] to New York route,” he added.
The last flight will be on 24 September and La Compagnie said any passengers currently booked who are left high and dry after that date will be offered a full refund or the option to re-book on a flight from Paris free of charge.