Easyjet announce new Belfast routes to Berlin and Paris

Budget airline Easyjet has announced two new routes from Belfast International Airport to Italy and Germany.

The routes, which are being supported by the Air Route Development Fund, will see a four day a week service run from Aldergrove to Rome and Berlin, from 1 July to 31 October 2005, and daily thereafter.

Welcoming the new routes, Enterprise Minister, Barry Gardiner, said: “This is a great start to the New Year with both routes offering exciting trade and tourism opportunities for Northern Ireland.

“This time last year, Northern Ireland had just one international air route. The Air Route Development Scheme has now secured a total of nine new routes – six of these from important international destinations. Improved air access is a key element in improving Northern Ireland’s overall economic competitiveness.”

Air Route Development was set up in September 2003 for the development of new routes from Northern Ireland.

It is aimed at helping the airports to reduce the costs of landing charges on new air routes that are shown to be of a net economic benefit to Northern Ireland.

Supported routes include: Paris (easyJet), Nice (easyJet), Geneva (easyJet), Newark, USA (Continental Airlines) all Belfast International; Birmingham (Aer Arann), Manchester (Aer Arann), City of Derry; and Norwich (Flybe), Belfast City.

(MB/SP)