New flights boost for City of Derry Airport

The City of Derry Airport has been boosted by the news that three new tour operators will be offering holiday breaks this summer to Lanzarote and Portugal – to add to the airport's existing Majorca service.

Councillor Gerard Diver, chairman of the Airport Committee, said he was "delighted" with the introduction of new flights to Lanzarote and Portugal.

“It is a great boost for the airport and for holidaymakers from all over the North West and I am confident the new services will be a great success," he said.

"The timing of the flights is ideally suited for young families and I feel this is a great, hassle free way for local people to travel to their favourite holiday destinations.”

Airport Manager, Seamus Devine said he was currently negotiating with other operators with a view to introducing additional new holiday destinations in 2004.

He added: “This has been a tremendous year for the airport and we are expecting this summer to be particularly busy as hundreds of families from all over the North West region depart from the City of Derry Airport for their summer holidays.

"We are also delighted with the number of pilgrimage flights being chartered out of the City of Derry Airport this year. So far local parishes have booked 15 pilgrimages to destinations such as Medjugorie and Lourdes. We are delighted with this business."

Slattery Sun will operate a direct daytime service to Lanzarote from May to October 22, with the first flight scheduled to depart on May 21.

Falcon Holidays' Lanzarote programme begins on June 26 with flights departing on a weekly basis from the City of Derry Airport every Thursday. Holidaymakers have the option of a one or two week holiday.

The Portugal service, operated by Transun, runs from August 11 to September 1 direct to the Algarve.

The Majorca service, operated by Falcon Holidays and now in its fifth year, continues every Tuesday from May.

(GMcG)