Published: Tuesday, 27th October, 2009 12:42pm

Cumnock family first to head for sun

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A CUMNOCK family were the first to fly out on an airline company's new winter sun routes.

Four new Ryanair low-cost winter sun routes - Alicante, Arrecife (Lanzarote), Las Palmas (Gran Canaria) and Palma - launching this week from Prestwick airport.

This morning (October 27), over one hundred and seventy Scots flew out on the first of the four inaugurals to Las Palmas.

First to check in for the flight were the McCrindle family from Cumnock. Dad Ian, Mum Liz and sons Ian and David were heading off for their annual holiday.

Ian said: "I'm delighted that four of us are flying to Gran Canaria for just over £400 return including taxes and luggage when before Ryanair's new route started we would have paid double that amount."

The routes confirm Ryanair's position as the most popular airline flying to the sun from Scotland.

uirport owners Infratil's Chief commercial officer Graeme Sweenie said: "These new routes are a huge vote of confidence in Glasgow Prestwick by Europe's largest low fares airline. Just half an hour from Glasgow city centre, we offer great flight times, quick, hassle free check-in, cheap parking and 50% discount on rail travel to/from anywhere in Scotland."

Mr Sweenie said the Canary Islands are set to be extremely popular this season.

Lying off the north-west coast of Africa, the scenery is incredibly varied, but all offer sand, sea and long hours of unbroken sunshine.

"For cheap winter sun, for Lanzarote's volcanic landscape, for Gran Canaria's mountainous scenery and for Tenerife's year-round appeal, the Canaries are unbeatable," he said.