A new codeshare pact has been agreed between Flybe and Aer Lingus to open access to US and Canada flights via Dublin.
The deal will enable Flybe passengers flying from Exeter, Inverness, Southend and Southampton to access Aer Lingus transatlantic services with a single stop in Dublin.
The Irish carrier’s expanding North Atlantic network includes 10 daily flights to Boston, New York, San Francisco, Orlando, Chicago and Toronto.
This codeshare agreement includes Flybe franchise partner flights to the Irish capital from Donegal with Loganair and Flybe’s joint operation from Southend with Stobart Air.
The agreement means that travellers can gain pre-clearance by US Customs at Dublin airport.
The Aer Lingus agreement builds on Flybe’s five existing codeshare partnerships with Air France, British Airways, Etihad Airways, Finnair and KLM, along with 17 interline partners including Emirates, Virgin Atlantic, Delta, Air Portugal and Qatar Airways.
Flybe chief commercial officer, Paul Simmons, said: “Our new codeshare agreement with Aer Lingus is another exciting development for Flybe and we are delighted to be working with such an excellent and well-respected airline.
“It further demonstrates our commitment to providing seamless connectivity from the regions of the UK, which means passengers do not have to face long road or rail journeys to the UK’s south east hub airports.”
The Irish airline’s chief strategy and planning officer Stephen Kavanagh added: “The combination of our services will give both airlines increased network reach and will help Aer Lingus to further develop our transatlantic hub at Dublin to the benefit of customers in the UK and the US.”