European regional airlines Flybe is planning to launch a new route to Dublin from Doncaster Sheffield Airport, and add extra US destinations connecting via the Irish airport.
According to a release by Doncaster Sheffield, Washington and Connecticut will now join the existing North American cities, New York, Chicago, Boston and Toronto in Canada, which are accessible via Dublin from Doncaster Sheffield Airport.
Flybe’s new five times a week flight to Dublin will replace the current Stobart Air service, and will serve all these destinations, with effect from November 1, 2016 under Flybe’s code-share agreement with Aer Lingus. Tickets can be booked directly on the Aer Lingus website www.aerlingus.com or through local travel agents, the airport said.
Steve Gill, chief executive of Doncaster Sheffield Airport, said: ‘This is welcome news for both business and leisure travellers, who enjoy visiting the Irish city and also to be able to extend the local option to travel to destinations in America and Canada via the onward connectivity this route offers.
‘We are really pleased to see further growth and diversity in the routes offered by Flybe since their launch earlier this year. Dusseldorf, Chambery and now Dublin have been added to the original roster, making it 11 destinations available with Flybe from us.
Alexis Krachai, managing director, Counter Context, a Sheffield based company, said: ‘If you’ve ever travelled to the U.S. you’ll know the arrival and getting through customs can be the biggest headache.
‘Travelling from Doncaster Sheffield Airport via Dublin makes all that disappear. The whole experience was by far and away the most comfortable journey I’ve enjoyed during my 20 plus trips to the U.S over recent years. The new motorway link road makes it a quicker and easier to get to the airport as well. These extra destinations are most welcome.’
Vincent Hodder, chief revenue officer, Flybe said ‘Today’s news further strengthens our ‘One Stop to the World’ offering for our Doncaster Sheffield Airport customers who can now travel with us to Dublin and benefit from the convenient, seamless onward connections available from there onwards to the US and Canada with our codeshare partner, Aer Lingus.’
With the new Dublin route, travellers will be able to clear US immigration in Dublin Airport before connecting on to the US, saving time upon arrival into the US. The new service will remove border checks upon arrival in the United States as passengers are classed as domestic arrivals.