Aer Lingus Regional Introduces Direct Flights from Belfast to Jersey

Belfast City Airport and Jersey in the Channel Islands are now connected twice weekly by the Irish regional airline Emerald Airlines.

Over the past few months, Emerald Airlines, which operates on behalf of Aer Lingus under the name Aer Lingus Regional, has increased the number of destinations it offers from Belfast City Airport (BHD). In the Channel Islands, Jersey (JER) is the newest location. The flight, which will make use of an ATR 72-600, will operate as EI3694 on Wednesdays and Sundays.

Aer Lingus Regional also operates flights to Jersey from its base in Dublin (DUB), albeit service between the two cities has just started. Every Saturday, EI3342 is flown using the same kind of aircraft, an ATR 72-600 with 72 seats.

Aer Lingus Regional anticipates 6,000 travellers to the summer resort since the route’s initial announcement in October. Since there haven’t been any flights between the city and the island since 2013, the start of regular service will be a huge boon for both areas. The Jersey Minister for Economic Development claimed that when the route was first revealed last year, it was a vote of confidence in Jersey as a travel destination.

In October, Ports of Jersey’s Chief Executive Officer, Matt Thomas, stated: “It is a great vote of confidence in our future that airlines are offering new routes and improving our connectivity. We already have a successful link with Dublin, and this route will strengthen our connections and expand travel options for both Islanders and visitors.”

Katy Best, the airport’s chief commercial officer, said: “The launch of flights to Jersey comes at a perfect time for those wishing to take a summer holiday with Jersey boasting spectacular beaches, attractions to suit all interests, and a wealth of history and heritage waiting to be explored. The short flight time means passengers can enjoy the sunniest spot in the British Isles in less than two hours from Belfast City Airport, making it an attractive option for a quick getaway or family break.”

There are now 13 flights that Aer Lingus Regional serves from the airport, with the addition of service between Belfast and Jersey. Aer Lingus Regional has just started operating regularly scheduled flights to Newcastle, Northeastern England, following the closure of British regional airline FlyBe.

At this time, Aer Lingus operates out of Belfast for the following routes: Southampton (SOU), Manchester (MAN), Leeds (LBA), Edinburgh (EDI), Birmingham (BHX), Cardiff (CWL), East Midlands (EMA), Exeter (EXT), Newquay (NQY), Jersey (JER), Newcastle (NCL), Isle of Man (IOM), and Glasgow (GLA).

The increasing number of seats and destinations available demonstrates the dedication Aer Lingus Regional and Emerald Airlines have for Belfast and Northern Ireland. Aer Lingus Regional recently revealed that they have a total of 1.5 million seats available for the summer throughout their entire regional network. With just a fleet of ATR 72-600s, that’s a lot of seats.