Ryanair is suspending all routes to Northern Ireland from September this year

Posted on : 09/01/2021
Ryanair is suspending all routes to Northern Ireland from September this year
Travel 

Ryanair has stated that Northern Ireland will be removed from its operations in September this year.

Flights departing from Belfast City Airport will stop next month and flights out from Belfast International Airport will cease in October.

The airline only began launching flights from Belfast City in May this year after the location had not been served for 11 years.

News reports state that Ryanair has said that the plane used on its Belfast routes will be “reallocated to lower-cost airports elsewhere in the UK and Europe for the winter schedule, which starts in November”.

A spokesperson for Belfast International said: “It is disappointing that Ryanair has now decided to withdraw operations from the entire Northern Ireland market at the end of October, having variously had a presence in all three local airports in recent years.

“It has been a difficult period for aviation and a time when consumers need some stability and faith in the Northern Ireland air transport network.”

The airline continued: “As we have been anticipating such a move, we have been engaging with our existing and other new airlines to provide continuity on the routes to be vacated by Ryanair, and to help sustain employment in the aviation industry at a local level in Northern Ireland.

“To this end we hope to be able to make announcements regarding fresh route development in the near future.”

The airline has said it is ending their Belfast service due to the cost of operating and the UK Government’s “refusal to suspend or reduce” air passenger duty (APD), reports the Express.

In a statement, Ryanair said that the decision was because of “the UK Government’s refusal to suspend or reduce APD (air passenger duty), and the lack of Covid recovery incentives from both Belfast airports”.

Up until now, Ryanair offered a number of routes to and from Northern Ireland.

But, from October 30 all routes from Belfast International will stop where previously Ryanair offered routes to London, Manchester, Alicante, Barcelona, Malaga, Krakow, Warsaw, Gdansk, Malta and Milan.

Ryanair flew to eight destinations from Belfast city.

The flights that will no longer be active from September 12 are to Alicante, Barcelona, Faro, Malaga, Palma de Mallorca, Ibiza, Valencia and Milan.

But, this doesn’t mean that people in Northern Ireland won’t be able to fly around the world.

Both Belfast airports will still be catered to by a number of airlines including EasyJet, Vueling or Jet2.

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