Airport News
Airport parking customers warned of Belfast roadworks
Wed, 03 Jun, 2009
Airport parking customers have been warned about roadworks affecting access to Belfast's aviation centre.
Bosses are advising customers to allow extra time for their journeys due to resurfacing operations which began on the A57 Templepatrick Road yesterday (June 1st)
A lane is closed and motorists should follow signs for a diversion, a statement said.
The facility is located 20 minutes drive from the centre of the Northern Irish capital – those with a satnav that can factor in roadworks could input the postcode BT29 4AB into their device to find out the best route.
Drivers have a range of options for leaving their vehicle at the airport, including long and short-stay areas.
People heading to the transportation centre could be preparing for a holiday to Newquay or Jersey, new routes to which were launched last month.
Jet2 is running the service, which operates twice a week.
Trips to the Cornish seaside town go on Wednesdays and Sundays, while the Channel Island jaunts take off on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Budget-conscious travellers may be tempted by the fares, as they start at £2.99.
Belfast International Airport gains new UK holiday route
Thu, 28 May, 2009
Belfast International Airport passengers have another option for a UK holiday this year.
Jet2 has launched new routes from the hub to Cornish town Newquay and the island of Jersey.
Flights to the former operate on Wednesdays and Sundays, while trips to the latter will take off on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Tickets cost from £2.99 one-way including taxes and are available from the firm's website.
Commenting on the move, business development director at the airport Uel Hoey said: "[It] opens up real access for the first time into the beautiful south-west corner of England - an exciting new home holiday destination from Belfast International for 2009 to suit the needs of a broad range of holiday seekers."
Boss of Jet2 Philip Meeson added it proved the company is "dedicated" to its customers in Northern Ireland.
People choosing to begin their holiday behind the wheel are advised the facility is located 18 miles to the north-west of Belfast.
There are a range of airport parking options available, including a number close to the terminal entrance.
Belfast Airport to gain flights to Tenerife
Wed, 13 May, 2009
Belfast Airport will gain new flights to Tenerife, it has been announced.
Aer Lingus has said it will begin the route in later in the year, with no firm details yet confirmed.
The airline is making a number of changes to its timetables at the Belfast and Dublin hubs this winter.
Services to Paris, Rome, Faro and Barcelona will be suspended for the season.
Corporate affairs director at the organisation Enda Corneille commented it is still committed to delivering services for passengers in Northern Ireland.
People who choose to take a holiday to the Spanish destination will be following in the footsteps of boxer Ricky Hatton, model Katie Green and Jade Goody's mum Jackiey Budden - who have all topped up their tans on the island recently.
Before getting on the plane, however, the trip to the terminal must be navigated – and airport parking can make it easy to check in quickly.
The hub is located a 20 minute drive away from Belfast city centre.
Passengers 'will be able to pass through Belfast International Airport quicker'
Thu, 07 May, 2009
Belfast International Airport passengers will apparently be able to pass through the facility quicker once renovations have been completed.
The hub is spending £10 million on a "facelift", which will include moving the central security search to the departures area to speed up the boarding and landing process.
A new facade will also be built to house around 20 shops, eateries and places to stop for a drink.
Works are scheduled to be completed by 2010.
Managing director of the airport John Doran has commented the re-jig will make it more "user-friendly".
"We will be creating modern, spacious and service-focused facilities designed to make the airport easy and convenient to use," he said.
The organisation has stressed disruptions for customers will be kept at a minimum by a "phased approach" to the works.
Those driving to the facility are advised it is found seven miles away from the M2 motorway.
A range of airport parking options – including long and short stay - are available.
BMIbaby expects to fly 15,000 people between Belfast and Prague
Thu, 02 Apr, 2009
Budget airline BMIbaby is expecting to transport more than 15,000 people this winter from Belfast to its new destination of Prague.
The carrier said this as it announced its flying schedule for 2009-10 and added the Czech Republic capital to its list of locations available for those departing from Belfast International Airport.
BMIbaby managing director Crawford Rix noted "strong" bookings have already been received for the forthcoming summer and the company believes this trend will continue.
"People want to secure a great deal and their ideal dates of travel," he remarked.
Managing director of the airport John Doran also commented, emphasising Prague as both a business and leisure city with much to offer all kinds of consumer.
It is often chosen by those looking for somewhere to go for a short break or a weekend away, due to its proximity to the UK and local delights.
Passengers planning to leave their vehicle while they jet off for a long weekend might want to check out the suitability of Belfast International Airport car park.
Debate surrounds airport runway expansion
Tue, 24 Feb, 2009
Proposals to extend the runway of the George Best Belfast City Airport are stirring controversy.
The Green party has called for members of the legislative assembly (MLAs) to vote for a public inquiry into the proposal, which would lengthen the runway by 590 metres.
Fiona McKinley of Belfast City Airport Watch told the Belfast Telegraph that it was "a golden opportunity to put this ill-judged planning application beyond doubt".
But First Minister Peter Robinson had raised objections to the term of the motion for an inquiry, which was also put up by Alliance MLA Stephen Farry.
The BBC reports that Mr Robinson said environment minister Sammy Wilson would be in an "impossible situation" caused by his duty to both the assembly's decision and the law regarding planning, if the motion were to succeed.
Katie Best, business development director for the airport, said there is a "very strong business case" for the extension, the BBC continued.
Move to Belfast International Airport 'a success' for airline
Fri, 12 Dec, 2008
Aer Lingus has hailed its move to Belfast International Airport as a resounding success.
According to its chief executive Dermot Mannion, over 750,000 bookings have been taken since the carrier moved to the Irish hub just over a year ago and he said he believes this will continue into the future.
"We've carried thousands of people who are attracted to our high service and low fares. The best is yet to come," he commented in a statement.
The executive also added that a number of new routes will be added to Aer Lingus' schedule in 2009, including flights to Tenerife, Rome, Faro, Malaga and Lanzarote.
On its website, Aer Lingus states that it prides itself on its punctuality and is committed to continually improving this aspect of its services.
Belfast International Airport - also known as Aldergrove after a nearby village - is locates 21 kilometres from Belfast and saw nearly 5.3 million passengers in 2007.
Wind and rain delay weekend flights
Mon, 03 Mar, 2008
Severe weather conditions affected various different flights over the weekend causing delays and cancellations, it has been reported.
Driving wind and rain meant a number of arrivals and departures from Newcastle Airport were affected including a service between Aberdeen and Amsterdam which was cancelled.
One flight between Manchester Airport and Belfast Airport had to do a complete turnaround after failing to land safely twice.
The FlyBe service from Manchester to Belfast returned to the northern England city after winds of over 60 miles per hour meant landing at the Irish airport was impossible.
Other flights to Belfast Airport were also delayed by the heavy rain and strong winds.
In related airport news, a number of protests have been stages at government offices in Leeds, campaigning against proposed expansions to Leeds Bradford Airport.
Penny Eastwood, one of the protestors, explained that Yorkshire is "most at risk from climate change" and the possible increase in aviation emissions expansion would create a higher risk of flooding in the area.
New Paris flights announced
Thu, 14 Feb, 2008
Aer Lingus has announced a new service from Belfast Airport to Charles de Gaulle in Paris.
The service will commence on March 30th and will operate everyday with one-way fares as low as £25, which includes taxes and charges.
Aer Lingus has redeployed one of its twice-daily flights from Belfast to Amsterdam to provide the new Paris schedule.
Airline chief executive Dermot Mannion said: "Our market research has shown strong demand for Paris, Charles de Gaulle while Northern Ireland is increasingly popular with French visitors.
"We are delighted to be able to capitalise on this demand by launching Aer Lingus's low-cost, superior service offering on this route."
Aer Lingus's new route will be alongside the existing daily easyJet service from Belfast Airport.
Last month, Aer Lingus began flying from Belfast Airport to Heathrow, a move that the airline described as delivering "much-needed competition".
On February 25th, routes will be launched to Budapest, Rome, Malaga and Faro.
Belfast bonanza for easyJet
Wed, 31 Oct, 2007
Budget airline easyJet is to open four new routes from Belfast Airport to the continent this week.
They will fly to the Polish city of Gdansk, the Czech Republic's capital Prague, Italy's city of bridges Venice and the Catalan city break hotspot Barcelona.
The new flights take the number of destinations easyJet flies to from Belfast Airport to 23 and the airline's UK general manager David Osborne said that figure was a sign of the airline's commitment to Northern Ireland's travellers.
He added: "We have ensured that the travelling public no longer have to endure lengthy connections through London airports and can now fly directly to the main airports of Europe's major cities."
Meanwhile, rival low-cost airline Jet2 has announced it is to station one of its flagship Boeing 757s at Belfast Airport in order to increase the number of seats available on its flights to Gran Canaria and Malaga.