EI Long-Haul from Belfast? Not for a while at least! Maybe IAG will do it, but not under the current leadership.
Seriously? Maybe IAG will do it ? IAG companies only operate long haul from its hubs , fed by airports dotted all around the place, particularly from domestic high frequencies like Belfast etc.
They did fly MAN JFK but axed it once they closed the short haul operation out of the regions, while it may be a sensible rumour to suggest that BA could return to MAN transatlantic routes in the face of a potentially growing Virgin Atlantic, the same can not be said of Belfast. The catchement size, connectivity as examples would render such a route unattractive.
Equally and importantly all IAG ops potential subsidiary Aer Lingus all operate from BHD which cannot facilitate a nonstop service too thee U.S. equally BFS an unlikely option as a court case hangs in the balance ...