Ryanair has re-established a base at Belfast International airport, with two aircraft starting to operate more than 140 flights a week.
The budget carrier will fly on 16 routes to Great Britain and Europe including Budapest, Milan, Barcelona, Paris, Alicante, Malaga, Faro and Valencia.
The five GB destinations are Stansted, Manchester, East Midlands, Cardiff and Edinburgh airports.
The Vinci Airports-owned hub said the return of Ryanair’s base at Belfast International “demonstrates Vinci Airports’ commitment to connectivity in Northern Ireland”.
Uel Hoey, the airport’s business development director, said: “As we continue to rebuild the business post-pandemic, to be able to welcome Ryanair back on such a significant scale is testament to the hard work that the team in Belfast has invested in securing this new base.
“Ryanair will bring low fares, high frequency and great choice to the local market and this significant investment and job creation is positive news for this region.”
Dara Brady, Ryanair’s digital and marketing director, added: “Ryanair will operate 16 total routes this summer with two based aircraft representing an investment of $200 million and the creation of over 950 total jobs at Belfast International airport.”
The airline said these destinations will be some of the first to benefit from the UK domestic rate of Air Passenger Duty (APD) being cut by 50% from April 1.
However, Ryanair reiterated its call for the UK government to “immediately scrap” ADP taxes for all flights, “which currently puts the UK at risk of losing air traffic to competing European countries”.
Pictured from left: Vitor Janeiro, Ryanair cabin crew member; Uel Hoey, Belfast International airport development director; and Inga Niedre, Ryanair’s Belfast International base supervisor.