Has this been announced?

Just saw elsewhere EI may not be flying the A320 down to FAO/AGP next summer. Suggestion it will be moved to DUB and a Boeing may be leased to operate out of BHD. No idea how reliable the info is.

If that's true then is this the beginning of the end of Aer Lingus at Belfast? Even if EI were to continue using an A320 for the sun routes, there is almost no business case for EI to remain at BHD. They only operate one route during the winter, and it is in direct competition with a fellow IAG airline. The only suggestions that I can come up with are that EI are planning on reintroducing BHD-LGW, or that EI are holding the LHR slots until IAG can use them more efficiently on other routes. From IAG's point of view, it would make a lot more sense, and would be a lot more efficient, to have BA solely operate BHD-LHR, and to have BACF or even Vueling operating any sun routes from BHD.

Yes I’ve also been made aware of this. Asl Airlines IRL EI-STA is supposedly operating all routes next summer

Reduced seat capacity on the B733 compared with the A320 equates to a 15.5% reduction in seats. Will they make up for it with an increase in the number of flights, or will the downward trend in capacity continue?

jetsgoholidays have the holidays to PMI on their website, Sunday flights 24th June to 9th September

Flights times show it will be a Palma based aircraft.

The last time i was on eista it was a bit of a piss plane, bit of a nursing home smell

Germania aircraft apparently operating the weekly Palma on a w pattern. Interesting.

It's gets used a lot for pilgrimage flights to LDE and DBV plus all the holidays charters from DUB. Plane is worked hard.

Are this lot Atol protected. Can't find anything, but says on the website that they are fully bonded and protected. A search on the CAA site didn't show anything for them.

No ABTA or ATOL certificate. Apparently bonded by the Spanish Tourism Ministry. No registered head office details on their website and only a Facebook page or email to contact. Belfast call centre number also. Most dubious is the reviews on the website from customers who have given 100 % ratings. Experience always comes up with someone who isn't happy so would not trust the reviews either. I'd rather book Jet2 holidays, Thomas Cook or Thompson. At least your money's safe.

You have to love the clap trap spouted on her about EI @ BHD. The airline will in the next 2 weeks celebrate 10 years of scheduled operations at Belfast, having served both airports over that time with based aircraft.

The airline has been very adaptable in the market, it acquired 319's as a better fit and had to contend with what is a very seasonal market. Off season the market is challenging.

Furthermore, it moved to BHD to pursue a more business orientated offering. Sadly due to the IAG piece, the LGW route was forgone. They have stuck with it, and now they are offering something that is sustainable.

It is easy to say that BA could do LHR. Many sources say that EI is leaner and lower cost, a good reason for them to be on the route from an IAG perspective. The collective LHR piece is picking up the passenger numbers. BA themselves took a hatchet to LHR BHD , hardly a vote of confidence as BHD bore the brunt of the cuts to facilitate leisure services ex LHR....

I think it is high time Aer Lingus were cut some slack, and rather recognised for being emergent and focussed on something sustainable for the future. They have stuck at it when others have cut and run...

See there’s a short video clip from the announcement. It’s been a very successful year for BHD apparently!!! Although no ABTA or ATOL protection rings alarm bells, especially with recent failures or Monarch and Low cost Holidays to name a few.

https://nitravelnews.com/news/new-ma...tsgo-holidays/

I'm not sure I buy into the somewhat rose tinted description of EI's northern operations.
In reality they came in and massively misjudged the market, assuming they could smash Easyjet on its own patch. They lost a fortune and hastily started experimenting with routes before retreating to BHD following a large spat with BFS.
In 10 years they have reduced to 1 airframe doing 1 route, have no based pilots and a handful of cabin crew. It's good they run the LHR because frankly BA are bleeding us all dry on it but let's not dress it up as a great success. Their LGW base was a similar story but now totally extinct.

JETSGO HOLIDAYS SPAIN SL

https://www.empresia.es/persona/reilly-daniel-james/

Daniel Reilly, the Liverpool teenager who started Nexus Airlines out of his 'bedroom'. They had chartered a Futura aircraft but I don't think they managed to fly a single customer before they went bust.

His next airline venture was JetXtra which operated out of Humberside in 2013 with a Cityflyer E190. Had a bit of a rough patch after launch when the CAA ordered them to stop selling tickets, until they got themselves ABTA and ATOL bonded. Still appears to be operating but now owned by Sporting Events Global Ltd

Correction: it seems at this point he started his first Spanish-registered company JetXtra Holidays SL. CAA can't interefere with that! But before lauch the name was changed to...

... JetsGo in 2015, again with a Cityflyer aircraft but now from Manchester, having talked with Liverpool airport in 2014 but not launched there.

He is certianly persistent.

There are no enemy tanks in Baghdad

Gee! Hadn't actually realised this Jetsgo thing was the venerable child star of Nexus 'fame'!!

Or of Jetxtra, Must have some deep pockets to start with, or knows a lot of bigwigs.
Why not just expand the Jetxtra side instead? Though with the new Holidays venure, it's looking suspiciously close to Jet2 and their operation (difference being Mr Reilly doesn't own any planes)

New Route
 

Flybe is commencing flights to Doncaster/Sheffield on 15th June. The flights will operate x4 weekly, and will be flown by the E175.

http://www.belfastcityairport.com/Ne...STER-SHEFFIELD