I think it is worth a try when the economic climate improves, it's a long uncomfortable drive to Donegal and besides the aircraft down time could mean a filler between flights. Potentially 4 times a week.

I take the points re Shannon, but we'll see how it all goes.

It was originally Jetmagic followed by Aer Arann..

Jersey European used to fly BHD-ORK in the 90’s using their Shed.

I used fly on the Aer Arann/Stobart ATR72 services between Belfast and Cork in the noughties and the loads were always good. They had a double daily service between Belfast and Cork.
When the flight was full, I used take a flight from Dublin to Cork. There were actually 11 flights a day from Dublin to Cork between Aer Arann and Ryanair during the Celtic Tiger era.
Ryanair eventually drove Aer Arann off the route with super low fares. Irish Rail also had an impact when they introduced hourly departures between Dublin and Cork as well as the new motorway when it was completed in 2010.

The drive from Belfast to the border these days is via motorway and dual carriageway. Once you cross the border into the Republic, the roads are better and it's motorway all the way to Cork. A drive from Belfast to Cork takes 4 hours.
Thats the biggest obstacle to a reintroduction of Belfast-Cork flights, though it probably still is viable with business traffic as a double daily after the pandemic.

An Aer Lingus Regional feeder service from Belfast to Shannon for transatlantic flights would certainly attract business travellers with US immigration being done in Shannon.
That would be more profitable for Aer Lingus than the A330 Belfast to US flights via Shannon that they did in the 1990s.
The Aer Lingus Regional Belfast to Shannon service could at some stage be upgraded to the Aer Lingus A321NEO that Aer Lingus operate from Shannon to the US if demand is sufficient from Belfast. Though leisure pax will probably still drive or take the bus to Dublin airport.

I see that is is being reported on RTE that EI reviewing ORK and SNN operations. Might have helped sway decision to open BHD base.

Its EI reviewing the mainline bases not Stobart bases. EI had no say the new routes from BHD.

Anyone know how the loads were on the KLM AMS today?

EI-FAS (EIR ATR) just landed from Kerry

MME going double daily on 3 days per week from next month.

ABERDEEN AND BELFAST FLIGHTS FROM TEESSIDE AIRPORT DOUBLED

https://www.teessideinternational.co...rport-doubled/

Is SOU also not going double daily a few days?

SOU goes double daily from the 14th September.

Some of the Aer Lingus Regional flights to Belfast City have started yesterday.

Unfortunately though this morning's EI3651 from Edinburgh seems to have been diverted to Dublin.

Looking at EI/LHR for summer 21 they have 4x daily every day. That's the highest frequency its been for a while. The original plan this year was similar to last with 4x daily only certain days.

Massive EI pressence at BHD moving forward and the IAG group in general with additional LCY flights. Great to see. Maybe even see the sun routes back. Im sure the demand will be there next year

don’t see the 4x daily LHR happening. They have the usual 13:10 flight scheduled and the extra flight at 13:15. The 13:15 flight is double the price of the other flights also.

That is a good question, I wounder would it be BA Cityflyer or Eastern Airways would run to LGW and few sun routes next year

I was looking at LHR-BHD rtn for June and July next year and at the moment the schedule on the website is still just showing three flights. Do you know the times of the extra flight?

The current schedule isn't great if you are going westbound I mean to Belfast for a day. The earliest EI can get you there is 1230.

Alex

Not sure what day of the week you are looking to travel, but looked at a couple of random days in June and July and there is a British Airways flight from LBR-BHD which will get into Belfast at 8.30am. It also looks like BA is cheaper than Aer Lingus.

Now that scope clauses and other agreements are being discraded in this brave new world, expect to see a harmonisation of scheduling, particually between IAG companies such as EI and BA across the sea. Does it really make sense to have night stopping crews at each end. LHR to BHD/DUB come to mind with a 2 airline/single offering approach.