The brand’s franchise operator, Emerald Airlines, has announced it will launch new routes to Newcastle and East Midlands airport in the coming months
"All domestic regional points vacated by Flybe at Belfast City Airport will now be re-established by Aer Lingus Regional, said the carrier.
Daily Belfast City-East Midlands flights will get under way on 26 March, increasing to double daily from mid-April. Daily Belfast City-Newcastle flights, meanwhile, will start on 28 April.
One-way fares for both routes, when booked as part of a return trip, lead in from £34.99pp.
Flybe failed for the second time in three years last month, less than a year after the brand was revived.
Emerald Airlines is holding open interview over 2-3 February at the Maldron Hotel in Belfast for aviation professionals affected by the regional carrier’s collapse. Roles span direct entry captains, co-pilots and cabin crew.
Ciaran Smith, Emerald Airlines head of commercial, said he anticipated increased demand for a wider range of Belfast City routes in future, with the carrier already having pledged to add more than 15,000 seats at the airport with immediate effect following the Flybe failure and upwards of another 180,000 this summer when it will operate more than 400 flights a week to and from the city.
"We will continue to grow these services in the months ahead," said Smith.
’No Flybe destination unserved’
Katy Best, Belfast City commercial director, added: "Following the collapse of Flybe, East Midlands and Newcastle were the airline’s only destinations not served by other carriers from Belfast City airport.
"Having Emerald Airlines step-up and operate the Aer Lingus Regional services on both routes, in addition to its already extensive network from Belfast City, is therefore excellent news as it leaves no Flybe destination unserved.
"Maintaining a robust route network and ensuring connectivity to and from Northern Ireland remains our priority, and we look forward to continuing and developing our successful partnership with Emerald Airlines.”
