MAJOR airline Virgin Atlantic has announced it is trebling the number of seats on its Belfast to Orlando route from next summer.
From 2018 the airline is increasing the number of flights it offers from Belfast International Airport to the sunshine state as part of its biggest ever season operating from the city.
The popular Belfast to Orlando route will now run from March to September, while a twice weekly service will be offered between the peak months of June and July. A once weekly service will operate for the rest of the season.
The transatlantic route launched in 2015 as a weekly service over four weeks and has gone from strength to strength.
Speaking about the Belfast expansion senior vice president of sales and distribution Richard Myerscough said:
"We’ve always received a really warm welcome from Northern Ireland, and the additional flights will allow even more customers to fly direct to the sunshine state with Virgin Atlantic.”
Uel Hoey, business development director at Belfast International Airport said they were "thrilled" to announce the growth of the only direct Virgin flights from the island of Ireland.
"We are also pleased that Virgin, in partnership with Delta, have grasped the clear opportunity to capitalise upon the strong , established family market from Northern Ireland to Florida recently abandoned by United Airlines.
"We are confident that good value in the exchange rate and the convenience and uncongested experience of using Belfast International Airport as a departure point will prove increasingly popular next year for passengers right across the north of the island of Ireland," he added.
A Boeing 747-400 aircraft will operate next summer’s Belfast to Orlando service on Mondays commencing on March 26 – 4th September. The airline will add an additional service on Fridays between June 22 and July 13. The Belfast to Orlando service forms part of Virgin Atlantic’s joint venture partnership with Delta Air Lines. Together they operate up to 39 transatlantic flights from the UK to the USA per day.
