Aer Lingus confirms George Best Belfast City Airport switch

Aer Lingus has confirmed it is switching its operations from Belfast International Airport to George Best Belfast City Airport in the autumn. The airline said there would be 3 flights daily in each direction, to both London Heathrow and Gatwick. From the end of March 2013, Aer Lingus will also operate daily flights to Malaga and Faro.  Belfast International Airport said it was working to fill the “void”.  The airline’s chief executive said “George Best Belfast City Airport delivers a compelling location and a strong history of business flying.”  Belfast International Airport said Aer Lingus had been offered “an implausibly low deal on charges by the airport to move there, and that they aspire to charging higher fares and commanding stronger yields as a result of flying from the City Airport.”


19 July 2012 (BBC)

Aer Lingus tail fins
Aer Lingus said the decision to move was a “commercial” one

 

Aer Lingus has confirmed it is switching its operations from Belfast International Airport to George Best Belfast City Airport in the autumn.

The airline said there would be three flights daily in each direction, to both London Heathrow and Gatwick.

From the end of March 2013, Aer Lingus will also operate daily flights to Malaga and Faro.

Belfast International Airport said it was working to fill the “void”.

‘Commercial decision’

The airline’s chief executive Christoph Mueller said “Northern Ireland’s vital London connections are secure with Aer Lingus”.

“The two aircraft, which we normally use in the winter for a mixture of sun destinations and Heathrow, will be used for Heathrow and Gatwick, with a third aircraft serving two European routes in the new-look summer schedule,” he said.

Mr Mueller said it was a “commercial decision” aimed at “delivering value for our customers and the company”.

“George Best Belfast City Airport delivers a compelling location and a strong history of business flying,” he said.

“We believe the move will appeal to the 600,000 plus passengers annually who fly with us and especially the business traveller who now has a choice of two London airports with Aer Lingus.”

Belfast International Airport said it was aware that discussions between Aer Lingus and Belfast City Airport had been going on for quite some time.

Spokesman John Doran said: “We have asked Aer Lingus why it has performed this U-turn, but so far we haven’t heard any explanation that makes sense – save that they have been offered an implausibly low deal on charges by the airport to move there, and that they aspire to charging higher fares and commanding stronger yields as a result of flying from the City Airport.”

Mr Doran said the move was “bad news” for local travellers, who he said until now had enjoyed some competitive Aer Lingus fares from Belfast International.

“We’re sorry the airline has taken this decision which will have no positive effect on in-bound tourism or the development of a robust local aviation sector that’s capable of competing with Dublin which, as well as being Aer Lingus’s home base, is our main competitive challenge on the island,” he added.

“We are already working to fill the void left by this defection and are confident that in coming months we will have positive news on new GB and international services.”

The airline’s decision to move from Belfast International follows the city’s loss of BMI Baby – which carried 400,000 passengers a year – and gives an indication of the Irish airline’s intentions.

Currently Aer Lingus flies from Belfast International Airport to Heathrow and seven European destinations.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-18899093#

 

and there may be job losses at Belfast  International airport

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/belfast-airport-job-loss-warning-as-aer-lingus-plans-move-16173742.html

 


 

Passengers  using Belfast International airport in recent years:

 

CAA – Terminal Passengers 2001 – 2011
2011   4,102,000  (up 2% on 2010)
2010   4,011,000  (down – 12% on 2009)
2009   4,536,501  (down 13.1% on 2008)
2008   5,223 (no change on 2007)
2007   5,236
2006   5,015
2005   4,820
2000   3,127
1996   2,351

Passengers  using Belfast City Airport in recent years:

CAA – Terminal Passengers 2001 – 2011
2011   2,397,000  (down – 13% on 2010)
2010   2,740,000 (up + 5% on 2009)
2009    2,621,996   (up 2% on 2008)
2008    2,570,741 (up 17.5% on 2007)
2007    2,187  thousand
2006    2,106
2005    2,237
2000    1,288
1996    1,360

 

 


Earlier

 

Aer Lingus to switch from Belfast International to Belfast City Airport

June 16, 2012   The Chief Executive of George Best Belfast City Airport has dismissed the remarks made by BALPA link , that Belfast should have only one airport, at a Commons Select Committee hearing as laughable. He said the airport is a profitable privately run company, and cannot be closed down against their wishes. BALPA had said that Belfast City airport was not needed, and was creating over capacity for Belfast. Meanwhile Aer Lingus is thought to be switching its operations from Belfast International Airport to Belfast City Airport, after the City airport lost BMI Baby. Aer Lingus flies to Heathrow and 7 European destinations, but it is thought it may expand routes to regional UK airports from the City and compete with Flybe. The move could happen soon, and the City Airport would have Belfast’s only Heathrow connection.    Click here to view full story…

 

 

All BMI Baby routes from Belfast to go by 11th June, and Flybe moving into the gap

May 5, 2012     BMI Baby will stop all its flights from Belfast City airport from 11th June. The airport said 420,000 of its passengers last year had flown with BMI Baby. BMI Baby services from East Midlands to Amsterdam, Paris, Geneva, Nice, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Newquay, and from Birmingham to Knock and Amsterdam, will end on the same date. BMI Baby said it would not affect BMI mainline’s service from Belfast to London Heathrow. Monarch said it would run services on 25% of routes operated by bmibaby from the Midlands. A BALPA spokesman said: “The frustration has now turned to anger following the news that Flybe (which is part owned by BA) has moved onto many of these bmibaby routes without any opportunity for staff to look at options and alternatives.” Flybe is moving quickly onto some of the abandoned routes.     Click here to view full story…