Under-fire British Airways has refused to say whether its services between Aberdeen and London City were making a profit before they were axed.
Local politicians questioned the airline after it confirmed last week that the 16 flights a week to the UK capital would cease from October 26.
It claimed the service was performing poorly – and is replacing it with extra flights to Edinburgh, Glasgow and Dublin.
However, north-east MPs and MSPs have said they believe it is likely the route would have been making money, and that BA did not give it enough time to prove itself.
The BA CityFlyer flights to London City were only introduced in April 2012.
Sir Malcolm Bruce, Gordon MP and deputy Liberal Democrat leader, revealed BA’s plans to axe the service in Westminster.
“Are they saying that the service was making a loss?” he asked last night.
“Or was it simply that it was less profitable than other services? That is one of the things that we need to press them on.
“Also, what kind of relationship does BA have with the business community in Aberdeen if they just take this decision without any consultation and don’t even announce it?”
Asked by the Press and Journal to clarify whether the service had been making a profit, a spokesman for BA said: “The financial performance of a particular route is commercially confidential and we would never disclose that level of detail.
“We take decisions of this kind only after the most rigorous analysis of a route’s financial performance and a comprehensive assessment of many other factors.
“We appreciate that the decision is a disappointment to some of our customers, including the Aberdeen business and political community.”
The airline previously said they had no current plans to make any changes to its Aberdeen-Heathrow service.
Sir Malcolm and other north-east politicians have launched a cross-party campaign to try to force BA to reconsider, while business groups Oil and Gas UK, Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce and the Institute of Directors have all expressed disappointment and called on the airline to review the decision.
North-east businessman Campbell Urquhart posted online: “Gutted BA are cancelling the Aberdeen/London City routes. Please someone else take it over. Much more convenient than Heathrow/Gatwick.”