It's not really good news for me as I live at the opposite end of the country. I'd be in LHR before I would be in Belfast
I was wondering how it would help HL... [:?]
Also, you gain nothing from Belfast either. When EI were going to fly DUB-SJC a few years ago, it was great - you could clear customs/immigration in DUB and just walk off the plane in the US due to the agreement SOUTHERN Ireland has. (They do still offer LAX direct)
Northern Ireland don't have this benefit; might as well do LHR.
Also, you gain nothing from Belfast either. When EI were going to fly DUB-SJC a few years ago, it was great - you could clear customs/immigration in DUB and just walk off the plane in the US due to the agreement SOUTHERN Ireland has. (They do still offer LAX direct)
Northern Ireland don't have this benefit; might as well do LHR.
Originally posted by preiffer
I was wondering how it would help HL... [:?]
Also, you gain nothing from Belfast either. When EI were going to fly DUB-SJC a few years ago, it was great - you could clear customs/immigration in DUB and just walk off the plane in the US due to the agreement SOUTHERN Ireland has. (They do still offer LAX direct)
AND they're starting up IAD, MCO and SFO in the autumn where again you will be pre-cleared in DUB.
The major problem with that is that DUB is a dump. Even T3 at its worst is better than DUB
sweet! I wonder where they will be flying to. Mind you, I'll be sticking with CO when flying to new york...
Originally posted by AlanA
I was thinking more along the fact that there would be competition for BMI to LHR ??
yeah me too
since BA pulled out of Belfast after 9/11 - BMI have had a total monopoly on the heathrow route. Resulting in flight prcies 2-3 times of what you pay LHR-DUB route where both BMI and EI operate.
Hopefully we will see some healthier competition on this route!!
Robert
There is a consequence to this. Today Aer Lingus announced they would cease the LHR-SNN route to service the Belfast route. This is an appalling decision. It means that the whole of the western seaboard of Ireland has to travel to Dublin or Cork (mostly Dublin) to get to LHR - a journey of 3-4 hours by road. The only alternatives are Galway to Luton on Aer Arann and STN to Knock on Ryanair.
I know iforres1 does LHR-SNN from time to time and he will have plenty to say about that!
I know iforres1 does LHR-SNN from time to time and he will have plenty to say about that!
Aer Lingus to unveil eight Belfast routes
Northern Ireland First Minister the Rev Ian Paisley will welcome Aer Lingus to the Northern Ireland Assembly today as it unveils eight new routes from Belfast.
The Democratic Unionist Party leader and junior minister Gerry Kelly of Sinn Fein will be at Stormont to hear details of the service from Belfast International Airport to destinations including London Heathrow, Amsterdam, Budapest and Rome.
Hundreds of new jobs will be created by the decision to base three aircraft in Belfast, the first centre outside the Republic for the air carrier. The first flights will take off in October or November with Heathrow early next year.
Aer Lingus is also expected to confirm flights from Belfast to Barcelona, Geneva, Faro and Malaga.
BMI has enjoyed a monopoly on the Heathrow route from Belfast City Airport since British Airways pulled out in 2003.
Aer Lingus is also expected to announce plans allowing passengers to travel onwards with British Airways and Dutch carrier KLM from their London and Amsterdam hubs to destinations worldwide.
There will be three flights a day to Heathrow and two daily to Amsterdam. The others will have two to five services a week. It could boost passenger numbers at the International Airport by 800,000 a year to over five million annually.
Belfast fought off competition from Birmingham for Aer Lingus' investment. The company, facing price wars at its Dublin centre from Ryanair, has cut costs to reduce fares. Several international routes from Belfast, including Rome and Geneva, will have more than one carrier.
However Heathrow slots from Shannon will be axed to make way for Belfast.
Aer Lingus chief executive Dermot Mannion will meet staff at Shannon Airport ahead of the Aldergrove announcement. The airline yesterday launched the first of three new links to cities in the United States from Dublin Airport.
Passengers left on the first flight to Washington's Dulles Airport. Flights to Orlando and San Francisco will begin operating in October.
Northern Ireland First Minister the Rev Ian Paisley will welcome Aer Lingus to the Northern Ireland Assembly today as it unveils eight new routes from Belfast.
The Democratic Unionist Party leader and junior minister Gerry Kelly of Sinn Fein will be at Stormont to hear details of the service from Belfast International Airport to destinations including London Heathrow, Amsterdam, Budapest and Rome.
Hundreds of new jobs will be created by the decision to base three aircraft in Belfast, the first centre outside the Republic for the air carrier. The first flights will take off in October or November with Heathrow early next year.
Aer Lingus is also expected to confirm flights from Belfast to Barcelona, Geneva, Faro and Malaga.
BMI has enjoyed a monopoly on the Heathrow route from Belfast City Airport since British Airways pulled out in 2003.
Aer Lingus is also expected to announce plans allowing passengers to travel onwards with British Airways and Dutch carrier KLM from their London and Amsterdam hubs to destinations worldwide.
There will be three flights a day to Heathrow and two daily to Amsterdam. The others will have two to five services a week. It could boost passenger numbers at the International Airport by 800,000 a year to over five million annually.
Belfast fought off competition from Birmingham for Aer Lingus' investment. The company, facing price wars at its Dublin centre from Ryanair, has cut costs to reduce fares. Several international routes from Belfast, including Rome and Geneva, will have more than one carrier.
However Heathrow slots from Shannon will be axed to make way for Belfast.
Aer Lingus chief executive Dermot Mannion will meet staff at Shannon Airport ahead of the Aldergrove announcement. The airline yesterday launched the first of three new links to cities in the United States from Dublin Airport.
Passengers left on the first flight to Washington's Dulles Airport. Flights to Orlando and San Francisco will begin operating in October.
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