AER Lingus is to increase its flight activity at Belfast City Airport with a new route to Newquay.
The Cornwall destination is the seventh former Flybe service to be absorbed by the Aer Lingus Regional operation, which is operated by Stobart Air.
The flights, which will begin on June 28, will add to the six routes launched last summer as part of the new Aer Lingus/Stobart regional hub at Belfast City Airport.
Five 72-seater ATR72-600 aircraft are currently serving Edinburgh, Manchester, Birmingham, East Midlands, Leeds Bradford and Exeter.
Aer Lingus also operates a joint service to London Heathrow with British Airways from Belfast City Aiport.
The Newquay service will initially operate three times weekly. Stobart Air and Aer Lingus will also launch a new Dublin to Exeter service from August 30.
In announcing the new routes on Wednesday, Stobart Air boss Andy Jolly called on the Irish Government to introduce vaccine passports to allow people who have received their full Covid-19 vaccine, to fly unrestricted within the Common Travel Area.
He also urged Dublin to convene key industry stakeholders on a taskforce to discuss and plan for the long-term future of aviation.
“Stobart Air calls on the Irish Government to work with all industry stakeholders to restore confidence in aviation and facilitate the resumption of safe air travel in line with the vaccination rollout programme,” said the managing director.
“In the immediate term this includes developing a vaccine passport procedure to allow people who have received their complete vaccine course to travel without restriction within the Common Travel Area.
“Anticipating a successful Covid-19 vaccination rollout which will allow air travel to resume safely later this year, we are pleased to add Dublin-Exeter and Belfast-Newquay Cornwall to our route network. We believe these new connections will cater to both business and leisure travellers with direct, convenient and cost-effective flights between Dublin and Belfast and England’s vibrant, historic and stunning southwest coast," he said.
“We are committed to providing our passengers with frequent, convenient and affordable services through our regional connections. We look forward to welcoming our staff and customers onboard these new routes.”
