Ryanair is returning to Belfast International five years after closing its base at Belfast City airport due to delays to the airport’s runway extension.
The Irish airline will initially invest $100 million with one based aircraft and a four-times daily service to Gatwick launching in March.
The base will grow to three aircraft and five more new routes from October 2016, which Ryanair expects will deliver more than 1 million new customers and support 750 ‘on-site’ jobs.
Details of the new routes are expected to be announced later this year.
The Gatwick service will use slots at Belfast that were given up by Aer Lingus as part of the IAG deal.
Graham Keddie, MD of Belfast International airport, said: “This is a significant and far-reaching announcement by Ryanair. The Gatwick slots given up by Aer Lingus as part of the IAG takeover, are being safeguarded and used for the benefit of Northern Ireland. Gatwick is growing in popularity, and it was crucial to retain them.”
Ryanair also announced it grew passenger traffic 25 per cent in December compared to the same period in 2014.
The jump in traffic meant Ryanair carried over 100 million passengers in 2015.
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