Business

Direct US routes may return to Belfast International Airport

The last United Airlines flight from Belfast International Airport ahead of its departure in January. The north’s only direct link to the US was stopped last month due to its poor financial performance but the airport could be getting ready to announce two new US routes today
The last United Airlines flight from Belfast International Airport ahead of its departure in January. The north’s only direct link to the US was stopped last month due to its poor financial performance but the airport could be getting ready to annou The last United Airlines flight from Belfast International Airport ahead of its departure in January. The north’s only direct link to the US was stopped last month due to its poor financial performance but the airport could be getting ready to announce two new US routes today

BELFAST International Airport at Aldergrove may be set to announce two new routes to the US today, The Irish News understands.

Last month it was rumoured that three airlines were in negotiation with the airport regarding launching a direct transatlantic flight from the city.

It now appears that low-cost carrier Norwegian Air has won the contract to run two routes from the airport to the US, one to Boston and another to New York.

The north’s only direct link to the US, United Airlines route to New York, was stopped last month due to its poor financial performance.

A £9 million rescue deal agreed by Stormont and the airline fell through some months previously because the financial package breached EU state rules.

The route between Belfast International Airport and Newark first began in 2005, operated by Continental Airlines.

United took over the operation of the route in 2012 following a merger between it and Continental Airlines.

The airport is due to make the official announcement this afternoon, marking more positive news for Aldergrove in recent months.

In September last year it was announced that the airport had smashed its annual international passenger record almost four months before the end of the year.

The end of August saw the Aldergrove beat the previous annual high of 171,270, set in 2015, with the 2016 figure having climbed to 200,977.

In September 2015 128,709 passengers had arrived and departed on the airport’s international routes.