I have some good news for readers who fly between the UK mainland, Dublin, Belfast and vice versa.
Aer Lingus recently confirmed a start date of March 17, 2022 for its new franchise agreement with Emerald Airlines, and details are now emerging that the agreement will see a large number of routes from both Belfast and Dublin this summer.
Exact details are not available at time of writing and therefore changes are possible depending on the current situation during the pandemic.
What is certain is that Emerald Airlines will open a new base at Belfast City from where it will operate services to seven UK mainland destinations: Birmingham, Edinburgh, Exeter, Glasgow, Leeds and Manchester.
✈ Emerald Airlines has announced it will open a base at @BELFASTCITY_AIR from which it will operate high-frequency @AerLingus Regional services to Birmingham, Edinburgh, Exeter, Glasgow, Leeds Bradford & Manchester.
Read more: https://t.co/mzX0KdSoih pic.twitter.com/F7bQv0Zidz
— Belfast City Airport (@BELFASTCITY_AIR) January 13, 2022
From Dublin it is understood that Emerald Airlines will be operating to Birmingham, Bristol, Donegal, Edinburgh, Exeter, Glasgow, Isle of Man, Jersey, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle and Newquay.
One minus point is that Emerald Airlines has not listed Cardiff as a destination it will be serving.
I say that because as we reported a couple of days ago Cardiff’s only link with Belfast has been suspended by Eastern Airways.
Welsh travellers will be hoping Eastern Airways will return to the route in March.