THE Stormont executive has been accused of "propping-up a vanity project" after agreeing a multi-million pound bail-out for the north's sole air link with North America.
Green MLA Steven Agnew said precious financial resources were being used to subsidise an unviable route while numerous transatlantic flights left Dublin every day.
Up to £9m of public money will be used to support daily flights between Belfast International Airport and Newark over the next three years.
The transatlantic route already benefits from a subsidy of £2m a year after the executive scrapped Air Passenger Duty on long haul flights in 2011.
An airport source told The Irish News that United Airlines was "perilously close" to scrapping the route a fortnight ago.
However, it was saved after what the source described as "tremendous cross-party teamwork" which saw an eleventh hour rescue package put together.
Economy minister Simon Hamilton told the BBC that the bail-out had the backing of the executive.
"It is public money being spent to ensure we keep this very important route in place," he said.
However, on Monday Mr Hamilton's department was unable to give any further details of what was being offered to the Chicago-based airline.
Belfast International Airport manager Graham Keddie has claimed the route is crucial to attracting US-inward investment.
But according to Mr Agnew there are greater priorities in government spending.
"With growing NHS waiting lists and Stormont's inability to provide special needs education, it is clear there are greater priorities in terms of executive funding," he said.
"It is effectively taxpayers propping-up a vanity project while there are alternative flights to north America available from Dublin."
Mr Agnew also questioned the claim that the route was key in attracting investment.
"To claim that we need this route in order to save some US investor a two or three hour car journey is ridiculous – in the States people would think nothing of driving that kind distance to catch a flight," he said.
"I imagine there is no shortage of profitable companies who would welcome what amounts to a £5m-a-year subsidy."
The Irish News asked United Airlines why it was necessary for the route to be subsidised but its spokesman declined to address the question.
A statement from the company said: "United Airlines confirms it has been working with the Northern Ireland government in regards to its Belfast-New York/Newark service and that it will continue to serve Northern Ireland with no planned changes to its schedule at this time."
