United Airlines has announced that it is stop operating flights between Belfast and New York. The flight, which is the only regular direct air link between the region and the United States is to due cease in January. It is understood the last departure from Belfast will be on 09 January, 2017, with the last departure from Newark, New York, the day before.

The decision comes just months after a £9 million rescue plan. The money was to be given to United over a three-year period and was to come from the Northern Ireland Executive. The BBC has said that only part of the aid package was given to the airline and it has since been refunded.

United has said it has chosen to stop the route because of its poor financial performance.

They said it will contact its customers with bookings beyond the stop date to provide refunds and re-accommodate where possible.

Belfast International Airport, however, has slammed the decision, blaming a ruling by the European Commission to block a funding package.

In a statement, Graham Keddie, Managing Director at the airport, said: "You could hardly get a worse example of process-driven madness. To block a support package for an airline that delivers direct access to the United States is almost beyond comprehension.

"This is a vital link for business and losing it will be a body blow to Executive Ministers who use it to promote Northern Ireland to would-be investors from the United States.

"The adverse impact is all the greater, coming as it does ahead of the crucial decision to make Northern Ireland more competitive with reduced Corporation Tax designed to stimulate inward investment."

He continued: "The United service was well supported and only recently carried its one millionth passenger. We have worked tirelessly to safeguard the service, but Brussels took a different view, believing the support package gave United an unfair advantage over services from elsewhere.

"That, on its own, is bizarre as the package in no way competes or conflicts with competitors within the United Kingdom. The EU decision-making process is abysmal, biased and unfair and has resulted in the loss of this service.

"I would like to establish the level of representation made by any rival airline and competing airports before rushing to judgement. However, if there was interference, then our Government ought to make strenuous protest.

"Several key political figures worked with us to avert this disastrous decision. I would like to thank local MPs, Danny Kinahan and Ian Paisley, the Economy Minister, Simon Hamilton MLA, the Secretary of State, James Brokenshire MP, and the Transport Secretary, Chris Grayling.

"Their efforts went above and beyond, but in the end the faceless eurocrats, and others ill-disposed to Northern Ireland, won the day."

Image: United Airlines.

(JP/LM)