Business

1,000 apply to work in Belfast's new Aer Lingus Regional hub

Emerald Airlines will relaunch the Aer Lingus Regional hub at Belfast City Airport this year with six routes.
Emerald Airlines will relaunch the Aer Lingus Regional hub at Belfast City Airport this year with six routes. Emerald Airlines will relaunch the Aer Lingus Regional hub at Belfast City Airport this year with six routes.

THE airline set to take over the Air Lingus Regional operation at Belfast City Airport has revealed it has had almost 1,000 applications for jobs at its new hub at in the city.

Emerald Airlines has confirmed it will operate six routes to Britain when it commences operations later this year.

The start-up carrier was last year announced as the new operator for the ten-year regional contract.

Although not due to take over until 2023, the collapse of previous operator Stobart Air in June 2021 has resulted in Emerald accelerating its plans.

It will now launch in the Republic on February 26.

The start-up airline confirmed in December that it had reached a long-term commercial agreement with Belfast City Airport, with a new airline company already established in Northern Ireland.

It is continuing to progress its application for UK air operator certification.

But the airline has confirmed it will launch this year with the same six routes announced by Stobart when it opened the last hub in the summer of 2020: Birmingham, Edinburgh, Exeter, Glasgow, Leeds Bradford and Manchester.

More routes are expected to be announced later in the year.

Emerald’s chief executive, Conor McCarthy, said: "Operational set-up continues at pace, with the Belfast City base, our UK AOC and employee recruitment progressing extremely well.

"We have received almost 1,000 applications for our Belfast-based roles and are now in the final stages of our recruiting process with the first round of training commencing in February."

New Belfast City Airport boss, Matthew Hall, added: "Emerald's commitment to Northern Ireland will ensure not only the continuity of these regional routes that have been operated by mainline Aer Lingus and British Airways since last summer 2021, but also presents a significant opportunity for new routes and additional frequency."