Changes to Routes Flying From Belfast City Airport

Airlines flying to and from Belfast City Airport include easyJet, Flybe and bmi

From October 31st Ryanair will stop flying from Belfast City Airport. This will affect all of the airlines routes between Belfast and London Stansted, East Midlands, Bristol, Liverpool and Glasgow Prestwick.

The decision comes about after a planning application to extend the runway by 600m was lodged two years ago. The airline started operating from the airport at the end of 2007 on the basis that the runway extension would be granted. The application faced fierce opposition from local residents who were concerned about the potential increase in noise levels.

It was only in March of this year that the matter was referred to the Planning Appeals Commission however; the public inquiry has met with a number of delays and has yet to start.

These delays to the public inquiry have infuriated Michael O'Leary who consequently made the decision to pull out of the airport altogether. However when explaining his decision he did indicate that he would hope that the airline could return to the airport if the runway extension went ahead as planned.

Routes to and from Belfast City are available via a number of other leading airlines, including easyJet, Flybe and bmi. Flybe in particular is thought to benefit the most from the departure of the Irish airline as the runway at the airport is better suited to Flybe's Embraer 195 aircraft.

Posted by Lauren, 06 September 2010 14:27

News tags

• Belfast
• BMI
• Bristol
• East Midlands
• EasyJet
• Flybe
• Glasgow
• Liverpool
• London