Flybe is set to start the flights next March.

The services are due to start in March next year, an industry allocation system for landing and take-off time slots at the London hub shows.

The slots have been available since Virgin Atlantic scrapped its Little Red flights on the routes last year, after two years of attempting to compete with British Airways.

Flybe said in July it had suspended an option to take up the slots in October.

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A spokeswoman for the airline said last night: “As a matter of practice, Flybe does not comment on speculation around potential decisions before such time as is appropriate.