Following its return to Belfast with the introduction of 12 new routes back in July, Irish low-cost carrier Ryanair is now launching four additional routes from the Northern Ireland capital for the spring and summer seasons.
The new flights will operate to Hungary, Wales, and Spain next year. Belfast International Airport was planned to be home to two Ryanair aircraft, but two more will soon join to cater to the growing route network.
Commenting on the Belfast expansion’s impact on further job creation of approximately 800 direct and indirect open vacancies in Belfast, Ryanair’s director of Digital & Marketing, Dara Brady, said ‘Every time we base an aircraft in an airport, it means it starts and finishes its stay there. That creates direct employment in terms of cabin crew and pilots, that’s over 60 direct jobs for those roles. We then have supporting staff and ground handling, airport staff, and then there’s the transfers and taxis to shops and hotels, a trickle-down effect of creating local jobs.’
A direct Ryanair flight, FR9597, will connect Northern Ireland and Hungary, currently scheduled to be twice-weekly on Mondays and Thursdays. Flights will commence on March 27, with airfare prices starting from £36.99 ($44.58).
The new route from Belfast to Cardiff will also operate on a twice-weekly schedule on Wednesdays and Saturdays, commencing on March 29, from £29.99 ($36.15).
Ryanair’s new Spanish connection from Belfast will operate direct flights on Wednesdays and Saturdays, commencing on March 29. Airfare prices will start from £31.99 ($38.56).
The fourth new route addition from Belfast International Airport will be another Spanish connection to Valencia, but it will only commence on May 4, operating once a week every Thursday. So far, the lowest airfare price for this route is £31.99 ($38.56).
