Rival reacts as Bergerac to shut

BERGERAC Airport is to shut its runway for three months at the start of next year for repair works to cracks and rival operator Brive is increasing its flights to "help out".

Around 30,000 travellers are expected to be directly affected by the shutdown between January 9 and March 23, 2012.

Ryanair, Flybe, Transavia and Jet2 have no flights planned with only the Twinjet Bergerac- Périgueux-Paris saut de puce link being maintained through a taxi service to the new start at Périgueux Airport.

Nearby Brive Airport and airline Cityjet have reacted by adding two flights a week to London City from January 6 to March 23. Flights from Brive take off at 15.00 on Fridays and 20.00 on Sundays; flights from London City take off at 11.45 on Fridays and 16.55 on Sundays.

Bergerac's runway surface will be completely relaid in an operation costing €3.5 million. The alarm was first raised over the surface in 2009 when long cracks started to appear on the 2.13km runway.