NI air links strengthened with five new routes

Northern Ireland’s international air links will be significantly strengthened this weekend with the take off of five new air routes into Belfast.

The new routes from Rome, Inverness, Geneva, Berlin and Palma will be operated by easyJet, which now operates nine scheduled services to mainland Britain and ten to Europe from Belfast International Airport.

The five new routes requires easyJet to keep an additional plane stationed at Belfast International, bringing the total to five planes, supporting over 30 jobs at the airport.

The Rome, Berlin and Geneva routes, meanwhile, have been supported by the Government’s Air Route Development Fund.

Commenting on the new routes, Enterprise Minister Angela Smith said: “With the introduction of these additional routes we can clearly say that Northern Ireland has developed into a major international base for one of the premier operators in the low-cost air transport sector.

“Coming hard on the heels of the introduction of the New York – Belfast service which began in May, this is another major stride towards improving the accessibility of Northern Ireland’s businesses to the global economy, and of tourists to Northern Ireland.”

Bill McGinnis, Chairman of Air Route Development Ltd, said: “The expansion of easyJet’s base at Belfast International Airport is good news for local businesses wishing to develop export and partnership opportunities in Europe.

“These new routes also represent three more European countries with direct access to Northern Ireland, which can only be good news for trading links and the inbound tourism industry here.”

Air Route Development (NI) Ltd was established in September 2003 as a subsidiary of Invest NI.

The company provides investment support to local commercial airports to encourage new air route development to and from Northern Ireland.

(MB/SP)