FLYBE has become the latest airline to pull out of Bournemouth Airport.

The company introduced a single daily route to Manchester in May but has dropped it for the winter.

Business leaders are optimistic someone will step in – Manchester is the most requested destination at Bournemouth Airport.

“We are sorry but not surprised,” said an airport spokesman. “Passen-gers need a service that will allow them to travel to Manchester and back in a day.

“Unfortunately, a single flight in the middle of the day wasn’t able to service demand. As a result the route was reliant upon leisure passengers.

“We are talking to other carriers regarding a more appropriate service.”

A Flybe spokesperson confirmed that the Bournemouth to Manchester route would cease on October 29, adding: “We will, however, keep this route under review, as we do our 200-plus other routes, for the summer 2011 programme.”

Bournemouth Airport has just finished a £45 million transformation but the industry as a whole is going through a difficult time.

Palmair and Ryanair have said they will not be flying from Bournemouth during November, December and January.

David Skillicorn, managing director of Palmair, said the Manchester route had been an unexpected “windfall” for Bournemouth so the cancellation was not a major blow.

“Without a shadow of a doubt, there’s a huge demand for a route north,” he said.

“The idea is brilliant and Flybe has the right aircraft, but it’s the wrong time.

“We are gripped in a recession and no company can fly planes that are one third full.

“But my gut feeling is they will come back. Manchester is a good connecting point.”

He said people usually thought of Southampton Airport for business travel. It had business lounges and conference centres and Flybe’s operation had up to six Manchester flights a day.

Manchester was the only domestic destination at Bournemouth airport.

An off-peak train ticket costs £94 and it takes around five hours .

Peter Scott, chief executive of Dorset Chamber, said: “We polled our members and there is clearly demand for flights to Manchester. Pulling the service looks like a short-term reaction to a longer-term issue.

“Making the journey to the Midlands and the North is still not the easiest of tasks, particularly at peak times.

“Road and rail transport may have the advantage in terms of cost, convenience, and flexibility, but as demand picks up as we work our way out of the recession, I would be surprised if the service is not reinstated within 18 months.”