British Airways launches new routes from Belfast City to Newquay, Exeter, Glasgow and Leeds

After the collapse of Stobart Air, the UK’s national airline is offering 18 more domestic flights a week

British Airways is set to launch 18 new flights a week between Belfast City and Leeds Bradford, Exeter, Newquay and Glasgow airports this summer.

The airline will take over routes formerly serviced by Stobart Air, which operated Aer Lingus’ regional flights prior to going into liquidation.

The four new domestic routes between George Best Belfast City Airport and Exeter, Glasgow, Leeds Bradford and Newquay will run alongside British Airways’ services between Belfast and London City and London Heathrow airports.

“We’re delighted to announce these new services from Belfast, which will enhance our regional network and maintain vital connections between Northern Ireland and other key UK destinations,” said Tom Stoddart, managing director of regional subsidiary BA CityFlyer, which will operate the flights.

“We’re sure these routes will be popular with customers getting away for a UK holiday this summer, as well as those visiting friends and relatives, and we’ll continue to listen to their feedback about where they want to travel.”

Booking for these routes has commenced on BA.com, with flights starting from £48 one-way.

British Airways’ flexible booking policy means customers can exchange their tickets or change dates free of charge.

Budget airline easyJet has also responded to the pandemic’s changing travel landscape by announcing domestic routes from Merseyside to Dorset and the Midlands to Cornwall.

With ongoing restrictions on overseas holidays constantly changing, the budget airline will fly an Airbus A320 aircraft on routes that are below 200 miles – between Liverpool to Bournemouth (182 miles) and Birmingham to Newquay (198 miles). The new flights start on 10 July, with fares from £23 one-way.

Johan Lundgren, easyJet’s chief executive, has been outspoken on the need for the government to ease restrictions for people flying into the UK from abroad.

Meanwhile, Ryanair and Manchester Airports Group are taking legal action over the “amber list”, to force the government to reveal how it decides which countries appear on each list in its traffic light system.

“The UK’s timid and very fearful reopening is not based on any medical science that we can establish,” said Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary.