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SOARING HIGH FROM NI...


CITY OF DERRY GAIN HEATHROW LINK WITH LOGANAIR


LOGANAIR has announced its intention to move the Public Service Obligation (PSO) air service linking City of Derry Airport and London into Heathrow with effect from 6 May 2023.


The airline has recently


gained additional access to slots at Heathrow, will move its Derry service from the current London terminus of Stansted into Heathrow’s Terminal Two from Saturday 6 May. This will offer improved access to central London – where the new Elizabeth Line now connects the nation’s premier airport to key City destinations, offering faster and cheaper journeys than before.


Just as importantly,


the


move to London Heathrow opens up a tremendous


range of new connections from City of Derry – firmly establishing Derry’s place on the worldwide map of air routes. Customers will be able to book single-ticket, assured connections to and from City of Derry via London Heathrow to 119 destinations in 56 countries.


Destinations across Europe, Middle East, North and South America,


Africa, Asia and


Australasia ranging from Singapore


and Hong Kong


through to Buenos Aires and Budapest will all be available from City of Derry through Loganair’s growing range of airline partnerships, including with


British Airways, the


largest airline at Heathrow. “The move to Heathrow truly is a gamechanger for City of Derry’s air links,” says Loganair Chief Executive Jonathan Hinkles. “Alongside improved ground transport links into central London, the new range of global flight connections will bring


new inward investment opportunities and tourism into the region, together with enabling travellers from the Derry City region to use their local airport to fly worldwide for the first time.” “We’re delighted to be able to


bring these new opportunities to our customers.


I’d like


to extend my sincere thanks to the teams at City of Derry Airport and to Derry City & Strabane District Council, who have enthusiastically supported and encouraged this move since the possibility first arose,” he said. Steve Frazer,


Managing


Director at City of Derry Airport said: “This proposed switch to London Heathrow


from


City of Derry Airport is an exciting time for the airport. Not


only will this provide direct connectivity to London’s premier airport, it also creates a ‘Gateway to the World’ via one of the world’s best international hubs. “This will be a significant for


step economic and


strategic growth across the Northwest,


all from your


convenient local airport.” There will also be an increase in the number of flights between City of Derry and Heathrow following the move, with a choice of three departures in each direction every weekday throughout the year.


Previously, the


third flight operated only on peak days during the summer season.


This will increase


seat capacity by 12%, whilst more efficient air traffic routings into Heathrow will cut flight times and carbon emissions. All flights will continue to be operated by Loganair’s locally-based City of Derry crews and Embraer 145 aircraft.


RYANAIR ANNOUNCE NEW SUMMER ROUTE FROM BELFAST


RYANAIR has announced a new route from Belfast to Palma, which will operate twice weekly from April as part of its Summer ’23 schedule. Belfast citizens/visitors can now book


a well-deserved Summer break, incl. this exciting new route from Belfast to Palma, and enjoy the lowest fares and the widest choice of destinations for Summer ‘23 on www.Ryanair.com. Ryanair’s Dara Brady said:


“Ryanair is pleased to be bringing even more choice and value to our customers in Northern Ireland with the addition of this new Palma route to our Summer ’23 schedule offering our Belfast customers/ visitors even more choice for their Summer holidays at the lowest fares in Europe.


And for cost conscious families,


there is no better choice than Ryanair’s industry leading low fares, particularly


now that you can spread out the cost of your holiday by paying half the price now and the other half up to 40 days pre-departure when you book Ryanair’s Family Plus bundle, making family holidays easier for everyone.” We


look forward to welcoming


customers onboard our flights to/from Palma this Summer as Ryanair continues to deliver more connectivity and lower fares than any other airline for the UK.”


Guten Tag! Flights To Frankfurt Take Off From Belfast City Airport


Two New Routes from Belfast City Airport Take Off!


AER Lingus Regional services have commenced two new routes from Belfast


City Airport to


Newcastle-upon-Tyne and the Isle of Man.


Flights to Newcastle will operate daily whilst the new Isle of Man route will operate four times per week, increasing to six weekly for the peak summer season.


Ellie McGimpsey, Aviation


Development Manager at Belfast City Airport said:


“Providing


excellent choice for our passengers is a top priority at Belfast City Airport, and we are delighted we can expand on our current offering with these two new services. “Since the first Aer Lingus Regional flights, operated by Emerald Airlines, took off in spring 2022, we have seen the airline grow its route network from Belfast City Airport in response to sustained high demand. “We have no doubt that these new routes to Newcastle and the Isle of Man will also prove hugely popular, and we look forward to continuing and developing our successful partnership.”


With more flights for the travelling public, the airline is progressively bolstering its summer 2023 schedule, adding 200,000+ extra seats from Belfast City Airport.


The new routes to Newcastle


and the Isle of Man build on Aer Lingus Regional’s existing portfolio at Belfast City Airport, with flights already in operation to Birmingham,


Newquay, and Cardiff,


Edinburgh, East Midlands, Exeter, Glasgow, Leeds Bradford, Manchester, Southampton.


Flights to Jersey are also set to take off up to twice a week on 6th May 2023, providing more convenience when flying to the Channel Islands.


Commenting on the announcement,


said: “ We very


pleased to be adding to our Belfast schedule,


with the


introduction of two new routes to the Isle of Man and Newcastle. We look forward to continuing to grow our services, providing more options for those travelling to and from Belfast.”


Head of Commercial at Emerald Airlines


Ciarán Smith, are


Pilot Union Threatens Strike Action


DUBLIN-BASED Emerald Airlines has been warned by a pilot union that it may ballot its members for industrial action if the carrier’s management does not agree to negotiate a collective agreement with the union.


But the airline has hit out at the union for threatening the ballot in the run up to the busy summer season.


In a letter to its members, the Irish Airline Pilots’ Association (IALPA) said: “As you know, IALPA has tried to engage with Emerald Airlines management on pilot pay, pension, terms and conditions of employment. “Crucially, we have not received from management a positive response to our request for a meeting to


negotiate.”


Emerald has also insisted that it has been constructively dealing directly with its pilots and has already improved their terms and conditions, including pay. The airline’s CEO Keith Butler said the carrier is already engaged in direct dialogue and negotiations with its staff through its Employee Representative Group, resulting in “significant improvements” in pay and conditions.


“This development from IALPA, coming as we approach a busy summer season, is extremely disappointing and unnecessary. “We maintain an active and healthy dialogue directly with all of our employees including pilot employee representatives. “We are committed to providing a positive, progressive, and healthy work environment for everyone working at Emerald Airlines.”


www.nitravelnews.com


May 2023


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