- Stobart Air, operator of Aer Lingus Regional, to open new base at Belfast City Airport
- Airline to operate 4 weekly return flights from Exeter this Autumn, increasing to daily from Summer 2021.
- Commenting on the announcement, Matt Roach, Managing Director at Exeter Airport, said: “The arrival of Aer Lingus Regional and confirmation of a new route between Exeter Airport and Belfast are yet more positive steps forward for our airport and the South West region.”
Exeter Airport is to see the introduction of a service to Belfast City Airport from 28 August 2020 it was announced today.
Stobart Air, operator of Aer Lingus Regional, will base five ATR72-600 aircraft at Belfast City Airport.
The airline will operate up to 4 weekly return flights from Exeter Airport to Belfast City Airport this autumn with fares starting from £34.99 one way including taxes.
This commencement of this new route marks the only flight from Exeter to the island of Ireland with Aer Lingus Regional as a new airline at Exeter Airport.
Stobart Air, following guidance from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), the World Health Organisation (WHO), and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), has implemented a number of enhanced health and safety measures to protect staff, crew and passengers. New measures include:
Enhanced aircraft cleaning:
To ensure the wellbeing of our passengers and crew, enhanced cleaning and disinfection procedures have been introduced for the aircraft cabin, which are in addition to the existing aircraft cleaning schedule. Each aircraft, including seats, armrests and tray tables will be subject to a daily disinfection process which provides surface protection from viruses for 24 hours.
On board measures:
Face coverings or masks are mandatory on all flights operated by Stobart Air for customers and cabin crew respectively, with the exception of small children and those who are unable to wear a face mask for medical reasons. The face coverings can be in the form of a reusable cloth mask or a disposable mask and it is recommended that these are worn from the time passengers enter the departure airport to the time they leave their destination airport.
Initially, when flights resume, the in-flight service will be suspended to reduce interaction between our crew and passengers. Passengers will be encouraged to remain seated while on board.
At the airport:
Stobart Air have introduced new boarding and disembarkation procedures to reduce passenger interaction. Passengers will board and disembark the aircraft in small groups and according to seat row numbers. At the boarding gate, customers will scan their own boarding card and show their passport or ID to the staff member, making this process contactless.
Commenting on the announcement, Stobart Air Managing Director Andy Jolly said: “As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, Stobart Air has been challenged and we have worked hard over the past number of months to protect our airline and to position us for the future, once restrictions ease and passenger demand increases.
“Working with Belfast City Airport and Exeter Airport, along with our partners, Aer Lingus we are pleased to establish a base at Belfast City to service flights to Exeter.
“These new services from Exeter to Belfast City Airport will cater for both business and leisure travellers for direct, convenient and cost-effective flights.
“We continuously strive to provide our passengers with frequent, convenient and affordable services. We look forward to welcoming our passengers on board this new route from Exeter from 28 August.”
Matt Roach, Managing Director at Exeter Airport, said: “The arrival of Aer Lingus Regional and confirmation of a new route between Exeter Airport and Belfast are yet more positive steps forward for our airport and the South West region. We’ve already seen the return of commercial flying to destinations across the UK and Europe and the addition of connectivity between Exeter and Belfast is welcome news as we continue our recovery.
“Confidence is growing amongst passengers and airlines and we are seeing growing demand as travel restrictions ease. We’ve all been working hard to make sure the appropriate safety measures are in place to protect passengers and we look forward to celebrating the launch of Exeter-Belfast on 28 August.”
Flights from Exeter to Belfast start from £34.99 one way including taxes and are on sale now at www.aerlingus.com.
