CityJet (WX, Dublin International) will scale back its French operations with flights from London City to each of Paris Orly and Nantes to be terminated at the end of next month.

The two routes, which together account for 2,470 weekly seats or 17.25% of the Irish carrier's overall weekly seating capacity, will be discontinued from March 25 onwards.

According to Dutch aviation news portal zakenreisnieuws, Cityjet has encountered stiff competition on both routes. On flights between the two countries' capitals, it faces Air France and its budget unit Transavia France, British Airways and its Vueling Airlines sister carrier, easyJet, flybe. (2002), and intercity high-speed rail service, Eurostar. To Nantes, it competes with easyJet although British Airways will soon make its presence felt.

As such, with these two routes to be axed, CityJet will resurrect its Toulon service which will operate 2x weekly from April 8 to October 26 using ARJ-85 equipment. It will also offer a 2x weekly return service between London City and Avignon Caumont from May 19 to September 8. Neither route is currently flown by any large scale commercial carrier.