Business

Belfast City 'to lose Gatwick routes' as result of IAG deal

The takeover of Aer Lingus may have repercussions for Belfast passengers
The takeover of Aer Lingus may have repercussions for Belfast passengers The takeover of Aer Lingus may have repercussions for Belfast passengers
By Gary McDonald

THE number of daily flights from Belfast to London may be cut as a result of the €1.3 billion (£920 million) takeover of Irish airline Aer Lingus by International Airlines Group (IAG).

The European Commission cleared the way on Tuesday for the super-deal, which has been in the offering for nearly a decade.

Among the many conditions of the sale is that British Airways and Iberia owner IAG must surrender five daily slots into Gatwick to increase competition.

And it emerged that the service from George Best Belfast City Airport is likely to lose out as a result.

Among the remedies IAG has offered to the EC as part of the regulatory process is that just one daily frequency must be operated between Gatwick and Belfast.

At the moment Aer Lingus flies to the UK's second largest airport from Belfast three times daily - at 7.45am, noon and 5pm.

It also operates six flights a day from Dublin airport - and only two are certain to be retained here.

The Dublin carrier says it "remains to be seen" what agreements will be entered into with competing airlines as regards the five daily slot pairs it must give up.

But given the pressure by rival carriers to secure prized slots at the world's 10th busiest international airport (Gatwick was used by 35 million passengers last year), it is likely Belfast (which last year dealt with around 2.4 million passengers) and Dublin will each see a marked reduction in services.

IAG has also entered into agreements with competing airlines that operate long-haul flights out of Britain, the Netherlands and Ireland committing Aer Lingus to providing them with connecting passengers.

Last Friday Ryanair agreed to sell its 29.8 per cent stake in Aer Lingus.

Ireland's low-cost carrier had attempted to buy Aer Lingus three times, the first time in 2006, just after Aer Lingus was floated on the stock market by the Irish government.

The Irish government, which sold its 25 per cent stake in Aer Lingus to IAG in May, recommended that Ryanair accept IAG's offer, which values Aer Lingus shares at around €2.50 (£1.87) per share.