A “game changer” new budget transatlantic airline plans to start flying from Northern Ireland from summer 2024.
Fly Atlantic plans to serve 35 destinations from Belfast with 1,000 jobs created within the airline and up to 21,000 in tourism and support sectors once fully operational by 2030.
The airline will initially operate six aircraft at its Antrim base, growing to a fleet of 18 by 2028, with ambitious plans to create direct routes to North America, other parts of the UK and continental Europe.
Details surrounding Fly Atlantic remain sketchy with no information made public about the start-up venture’s backers or financial arrangements.
However, initial plans suggest flights could start in 2024 using narrow body Boeing or Airbus aircraft from Belfast International airport.
Discussions are taking place over aircraft, with the choice being between the Boeing 737 Max and the Airbus A321.
A Fly Atlantic spokesperson said the start-up would be commencing the process of obtaining an air operators’ certificate (AOC) early in 2023.
A further announcement about next steps and backers will be made “in due course”.
Belfast International was selected as base airport against “strong competition” from other airports in the UK and Ireland.
Fly Atlantic chief executive, aviation veteran Andrew Pyne, said: “Our vision is of Belfast as a strong aviation hub linking Europe and North America.
“The lack of direct transatlantic air services has clearly been an impediment to Northern Ireland’s economic and tourism development, which we now intend to remove.
“The project can be a game changer. We will be offering affordable fares with brand new aircraft.
“We already have offices at the airport and will now be building out the infrastructure to support the airline’s launch. We start recruiting for the team early in 2023.”
He added: “We looked at many options throughout the UK and Ireland. Belfast International and [owner] Vinci stood out in terms of the facilities that they offered us and by their enthusiasm for and commitment to making this project a reality.
“Northern Ireland has a proud aviation and engineering history, and we are delighted to be able to build on this tradition as we develop the airline and its support functions.”
Pyne has worked for a number of airlines around the world since 1979, including nine months in 2017 for now defunct Icelandic low cost carrier Wow Air.
Belfast International managing director Graham Keddie said: “We welcome the announcement by Fly Atlantic and look forward to them bringing this project to fruition as it would have very real economic benefits for Northern Ireland’s economy and would further enhance our international connectivity”.
The plans emerged as data from Aer Lingus showed that the Irish carrier has raised the number of flights to the US by more than 200% since Washington reopened borders from the pandemic 12 months ago.
The carrier operated 141 flights in November 2021 into the US, but this has jumped to 473 flights this November.
Capacity has been raised by almost 90,000 seats year-on-year as Aer Lingus returns to pre-pandemic flight levels for the forthcoming Thanksgiving holiday period.
Aer Lingus will operate 16 routes to the US by next summer, bringing back a Dublin-Hartford service in addition to new flights between the Irish capital and Cleveland.