New Manchester to Antigua service with Aer Lingus

In December, Aer Lingus registered a UK subsidiary to enable it to launch services to the US. The airline filed document with the US Department of Transportation to operate flights to Orlando and JFK in New York JFK as well as a summer-only service to Boston.

A recruitment drive has commenced for staff based in Manchester for the new transatlantic route. Four long haul aircraft have been registered in the UK and will be based in Manchester. The new operation will place Aer Lingus in direct competition with Virgin Atlantic which operates the majority of US flights from Manchester.

Aer Lingus is owned by International Airlines Group which is the parent company of British Airways and Iberia. Aer Lingus is expected to sell operate a code share with British Airways on its Manchester services.

Antigua’s tourism minister Charles Fernandez confirmed that Aer Lingus had approached him in February to discuss the possibility of operating a flight to the Caribbean island from Manchester.