SOUTHEND Airport is searching for an airline to help bring back a route that was previously “used by 200 passengers a day”.

Flights from Southend to Edinburgh were scrapped in 2014 but had proved hugely popular beforehand and the airport has now taken to social media to tease that it is “eye-balling” the Scottish capital.

The route was previously run by easyJet and despite stopping almost ten years ago, Edinburgh proved a “very popular” answer when the airport carried out an online survey with residents.

During the route’s peak, around 200 passengers a day flew to Edinburgh from Southend.

Kevin Buck, Conservative councillor responsible for transport, welcomed the route and believed it would be very popular.

He said: “I believe flights to Edinburgh would be very welcome and well used.

“It is one of those destinations that for many, is too far to drive, but you can be there in an hour by plane.

“I used to fly to Edinburgh with work and knowing the route well, believe it would be popular with business travellers.

“I am certain I along with many others, would embrace the opportunity to fly to Scotland from Southend for a short break or work, if the opportunity is there, as Southend Airport remains a great passenger experience and the convenience locally is second to none.”

Southend has lost more than 60 destinations since 2013 and was hit hard by the Covid pandemic when its easyJet base closed and the number of routes plummeted.

However, over the last few years, the airport has begun to build back up and now has 11 routes on offer.

An airport spokesman said: “We’re eye-balling Edinburgh.

“Over the last couple of months, we have had the opportunity to gather the thoughts and wisdom of the travelling public from our 8.2 million population catchment area – in the form of a ‘most searched for’ destinations analysis on our website and a survey during our recent travel show.

“Appearing in the top ten in both surveys was the Scottish capital unsurprising really given that in past over 6,000 passengers per month used Edinburgh flights from London Southend in the peak.

“The underlying demand remains – with 185,000 annual journeys to and from our 35-mile catchment area in 2022. All we need now is an airline to fly it.”