Ryanair to Reopen Belfast Base in 2023
Ryanair has announced its comeback to Belfast International Airport with a Summer schedule following the reopening of its base from Summer 2023. Ryanair will start with 12 routes from Belfast International, operating over 115 weekly flights. Ryanair’s Belfast based fleet will comprise two aircraft, representing a $200m investment and over 60 highly paid aviation jobs at Belfast International Airport and over 650 indirect jobs. The new base will include domestic flights to the UK, as well as flights to Spain, Portugal, Italy and Poland.
Commenting on the announcement of the base opening, Ryanair’s Director of Commercial, Jason McGuinness said, “At a time when other airlines are cutting their schedules and reducing their workforce, we are delighted to announce a new Ryanair base at Belfast International Airport with 12 exciting routes and 2 based aircraft representing an investment of $200m at Belfast International and the creation of over 800 direct/indirect jobs. We are delighted to have reached a long-term agreement with Belfast International’s management, which will underpin future Ryanair growth at the Airport over the coming years. Today’s announcement, particularly our decision to launch close to 80 weekly domestic flights to/from East-Midlands, Edinburgh, London-Stansted and Manchester demonstrates that lower aviation taxes and competitive airport charges are the catalyst for long-term traffic growth and increased connectivity. To enable additional investment from Ryanair (and other airlines) from next Summer onward, the UK Government must immediately scrap aviation taxes for all flights, otherwise, it will put the UK (an island-based economy) at risk of losing air traffic to competing European countries.
Also commenting from Belfast International Airport was the Chief Financial Officer Dan Owens who said, ”We welcome back Ryanair to Belfast International Airport, Northern Ireland’s leading airport. The Airport plays a pivotal role and is a key asset in aviation and tourism recovery after a challenging couple of years. This is a significant investment, bringing job creation and positive news for our passengers and the region. It increases the number of destinations now available from the airport to over 70 domestic and international destinations, offering more choice than ever for travellers. The new base at Belfast International reflects VINCI Airports’ commitment to Northern Ireland. Improving connectivity for the region is key for the aviation sector and economic growth. VINCI Airports and Ryanair have a strong partnership and Belfast now brings the total of bases across our European network to six.”
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