Manchester Airport is to see the introduction of a service to Belfast City Airport from September 14, 2020.
Stobart Air, operator of Aer Lingus Regional, will base five ATR72-600 aircraft at Belfast City Airport. The airline will operate up to four daily return flights from Manchester Airport to Belfast City Airport with fares starting from ?29.99 one way including taxes. Aer Lingus Regional, operated by Stobart Air, operates three routes from Manchester including Dublin, Cork and now Belfast City.
Stobart Air, following guidance from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), the World Health Organisation (WHO), and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), has implemented a number of enhanced health and safety measures to protect staff, crew and passengers. New measures include:
Enhanced aircraft cleaning: To ensure the wellbeing of passengers and crew, enhanced cleaning and disinfection procedures have been introduced for the aircraft cabin in addition to the existing aircraft cleaning schedule.
On board measures: Face coverings or masks are mandatory on all flights operated by Stobart Air for customers and cabin crew respectively, with the exception of small children and those who are unable to wear a face mask for medical reasons.
At the airport: Stobart Air have introduced boarding and disembarkation procedures to reduce passenger interaction. At the boarding gate, customers will scan their own boarding card and show their passport or ID to the staff member, making this process contactless.
Commenting on the announcement, Stobart Air managing director Andy Jolly said: ?As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Stobart Air has been challenged and we have worked hard over the past number of months to protect our airline and to position us for the future, once restrictions ease and passenger demand increases."
Julian Carr, aviation director for Manchester Airport, said: ?It?s great to see that flights to Belfast City will return to Manchester Airport, giving our passengers greater choice and flexibility when accessing the capital of Northern Ireland.?
Flights from Manchester to Belfast start from ?29.99 one way including taxes and are on sale now at www.aerlingus.com.
