Ryanair to drop Belfast flights

Transport 03/03/2011

Irish low-cost carrier Ryanair will axe its flights between Britain and Belfast on the 31st of October.

The reason behind the airline's decision was cited as the lengthy delays to a proposed runway extension.

Ryanair currently serves Belfast City Airport from Stansted, Glasgow, Liverpool, East Midlands and Bristol.

The planned runway extension, originally set for 2008, was scaled back to 2012 and would have meant the airline could operate flights from Belfast to a host of key European destinations.

Instead, come early November, Ryanair will move its Belfast-based aircraft to another European hub meaning that Belfast and Northern Ireland tourism will lose around 800,000 arrivals per year.

Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary said "It is very disappointing that the promised runway extension at Belfast City Airport has still not materialised more than three years after we opened the base at Belfast City."

He went on, "If Belfast doesn't want (it) and the authorities up here don't recognise that Ryanair wants to invest in Belfast, wants to invest in Northern Ireland tourism, but we're not going to beat our head against the bloody wall for more than three years to do it, then to hell with you."

"We have better alternative airports elsewhere in the UK and Europe, all of whom are willing and able to provide us with the runway infrastructure and low-cost facilities we need."

Those passengers who are booked to fly to Belfast after the 31st of October are advised to call the airline directly.

The editorial team