Lufthansa has announced it will start a new service to George Best Belfast City Airport on 23rd April 2023. The new service will be the German carrier’s first direct flight to Northern Ireland. Flights to Frankfurt will be operated on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays by an Embraer aircraft and will offer both Business and Economy class services. Lufthansa will operate an early morning departure from Frankfurt on Wednesday and Sunday and will depart back to Frankfurt at 09.45 with a lunchtime arrival in Frankfurt. On Monday and Friday, there is a lunchtime departure from Frankfurt and following a turnaround, it will depart Belfast at 16.45 and arrive in Frankfurt at 20.10.
Commenting at the announcement on Wednesday morning, the Commercial Director at Belfast City Airport, Katy Best said, “Attracting an airline such as Lufthansa to Northern Ireland that will provide the only route from the region to Germany is a major win for, not only the airport but the wider tourism and business industry. With Germany being the third-largest market for overseas tourism to the island of Ireland, there is a clear demand for direct connectivity. Frankfurt is an important city for commerce, culture, and tourism, and its airport is one of the busiest in Europe. As a base for Lufthansa, Frankfurt is a key destination in its network and gives passengers an attractive option for connecting flights to markets further afield. Lufthansa’s commitment to excellent customer service and great value makes it a superb fit for Belfast City Airport, and we look forward to welcoming passengers traveling to Frankfurt and beyond to the terminal.”
Also commenting was the General Manager Sales, UK, Ireland, and Iceland for Lufthansa Group, Dr. Frank Wagner said, “We are excited to announce the addition of Belfast City Airport to Lufthansa’s global network with the inaugural flight to Frankfurt on the 23rd of April 2023. This new nonstop connection will bring Northern Ireland much closer to Frankfurt and to the heart of Western Europe. Connecting passengers will enjoy a convenient and full service connection beyond our hub to our vast network of over 200 destinations in summer 2023.”
The Chief Executive of Tourism Ireland, Niall Gibbons also commented by adding “Today’s announcement by Lufthansa is really good news for tourism to Northern Ireland in 2023. As an island destination, we know there’s a proven correlation between access and growth in visitor numbers, so this new flight will certainly help boost tourism business from Germany. Tourism Ireland is committed to working with Lufthansa, Belfast City Airport, and our other key partners, to drive demand for this new flight, and all other services to Northern Ireland, and help maintain our vital network of routes and services. Germany is an important market for tourism to Northern Ireland. In 2019, we welcomed almost 65,000 German visitors, whose visits delivered almost £14 million for the economy.”
