Ryanair to stop flights from NI

Irish budget airline Ryanair will end all flights from both Belfast City Airport and Belfast International Airport.

It is understood that City routes will stop when the summer seasonal routes to Spain, Portugal and Italy were due to finish in September, while the Ryanair services from the International Airport to Spain, Poland, Malta, Italy and England will be no more at the end of October.

The decision comes after services from City of Derry Airport were withdrawn earlier this year.

A Belfast International Airport spokesperson said: "It is disappointing that Ryanair has now decided to withdraw operations from the entire Northern Ireland market at the end of October, having variously had a presence in all three local airports in recent years.

"It has been a difficult period for aviation and a time when consumers need some stability and faith in the Northern Ireland air transport network.

"As we have been anticipating such a move, we have been engaging with our existing and other new airlines to provide continuity on the routes to be vacated by Ryanair, and to help sustain employment in the aviation industry at a local level in Northern Ireland."

Meanwhile Belfast City Airport told Downtown / Cool FM that the routes at Belfast City Airport were only seasonal routes for the summer, and advised that any further scheduling queries will need to be directed to the airline.

In a statement, Ryanair confirmed it will cease operations from the Belfast International and Belfast City airports in the autumn.

"Due to the UK Government's refusal to suspend or reduce APD (air passenger duty), and the lack of Covid recovery incentives from both Belfast airports, this winter Ryanair will cease operations from Belfast International and Belfast City Airport from the end of the summer schedule in October and these aircraft will be reallocated to lower-cost airports elsewhere in the UK and Europe for the winter schedule, which starts in November,'' a spokesperson for the airline said.