Ryanair is coming back to Belfast with 12 routes out of the International Airport, they announced today.
The budget airline said they will base two planes at Belfast International and run 115 flights a week from summer 2023.
Announcing the news at Belfast’s Grand Central Hotel, Director of Commercial Jason McGuinness said the move will coincide with the Government cutting APD aviation tax next summer. However, he railed against the fact the tax will still apply to international flights.
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Mr McGuinness said the planned cut is “not enough and not soon enough”, adding its continuation is “really hampering Northern Ireland tourism reaching its full potential”.
He said that if it was “scrapped in full, I think Ryanair could double the amount of aircraft we have in Belfast and double the number of passengers”.
Revealing their ‘comeback’, Ryanair said the International routes include ‘exciting sun destinations such as Alicante, Faro, Barcelona-Girona and Malaga’. Ryanair will also launch domestic services to East-Midlands, Edinburgh, London-Stansted and Manchester, they said in a statement.
The firm added that the move represents a $200m investment and will bring ‘over 60 highly paid aviation jobs at Belfast International Airport and over 750 indirect jobs’.
Ryanair ‘also looks forward to further connecting Belfast International to key cities such as Edinburgh, London-Stansted, Manchester, Milan-Bergamo and Paris-Beauvais’.
They said the firm is ‘leading the post-pandemic recovery across Europe with the help of traffic recovery schemes and lower airport charges’.
A spokesman added: “If the UK is to continue its recovery, the government needs to immediately support airlines by scrapping the aviation tax (APD) entirely for all flights. A 50% cut on domestic flights from April ’23 is simply insufficient.
“With 12 routes to choose from for Summer’23, Belfast International customers and visitors can already book a well-deserved getaway, flying on the lowest fares. To celebrate its return to Belfast International, Ryanair has launched a seat sale with fares available from just £19.99 which must be booked by the end of July’22 for travel from April – June’23, only on the Ryanair.com website.”
Jason McGuinness added: “At a time when other airlines are cutting their schedules and reducing their workforce, we are delighted to announce a new Ryanair base at Belfast International Airport with 12 exciting routes and 2 based aircraft representing an investment of $200m at Belfast International and the creation of over 800 direct/indirect jobs.
“We are delighted to have reached a long-term agreement with Belfast International’s management, which will underpin future Ryanair growth at the Airport over the coming years. Today’s announcement, particularly our decision to launch close to 80 weekly domestic flights to/from East-Midlands, Edinburgh, London-Stansted and Manchester demonstrates that lower aviation taxes and competitive airport charges are the catalyst for long-term traffic growth and increased connectivity.
“To enable additional investment from Ryanair (and other airlines) from next Summer onward, the UK Government must immediately scrap aviation taxes for all flights, otherwise it will put the UK (an island-based economy) at risk of losing air traffic to competing European countries.
“To celebrate today’s announcement, we are launching a seat sale with fares available from £19.99 for travel from April’23 until June’23, which must be booked by the end of July’22. Since these amazing low fares will be snapped up quickly, customers should log onto www.ryanair.com and book early to avoid missing out.”
Mr McGuinness added that the company is “very well hedged” on its fuel costs, adding that their new Boeing 737-800 aircraft carry 8% more passengers, but use 16% less fuel.
Belfast International Airport’s Chief Financial Officer Dan Owens said: “We welcome back Ryanair to Belfast International Airport, Northern Ireland’s leading airport.
“The Airport plays a pivotal role and is a key asset in aviation and tourism recovery after a challenging couple of years. This is a significant investment, bringing job creation and positive news for our passengers and the region. It increases the number of destinations now available from the airport to over 70 domestic and international destinations, offering more choice than ever for travellers.
“The new base at Belfast International reflects VINCI Airports’ commitment to Northern Ireland. Improving connectivity for the region is key for the aviation sector and economic growth. VINCI Airports and Ryanair have a strong partnership and Belfast now brings the total of bases across our European network to six.”
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