Flybe has been awarded the contract for the Isle of Man Patient Transfer Service.

The airline will carry people who need to attend appointments at hospitals in the North West of England.

The previous holders of the contract, Manx2.com, operated between Ronaldsway and Chester, but Flybe will use the airports at Manchester and Liverpool.

Chief commercial officer Michael Rutter told Manx Radio patients will travel on scheduled flights:

"It's basically integrating patient transfer into our scheduled services, allowing them flexibility of having three or four flights a day, depending on what day of the week it is, to be able to make their choice to go on their personal journey.

"We believe that's the right solution to the Island and obviously must have been the most effective, because this was an open tender, unlike the last time the contract was awarded."