AIRLINES RAMP UP:THIS WEEK is the traditional times for airlines to switch from their winter to summer schedules, with the welcome return of many top holiday destinations, plus a few new routes that begin in May and June.
Regional airports are expected to do well this year, with more flights to the sun from Cork, Kerry, Knock and Derry. Shannon is not benefitting because of its ongoing row with Ryanair about charges. The airline has cut a chunk of its capacity from Dublin, too, with 20 per cent fewer flights.
Spain and Portugal will continue to be the main destinations for sun holidays. Flights to the Canary Islands will be substantially increased, as the Spanish airports authority is to continue to discount its passenger tax, to encourage business. Both Aer Lingus and Ryanair have increased services there.
Ryanair will fly to 14 Spanish airports and Aer Lingus to 12. Malaga will continue to be the most popular holiday destination from Ireland, with more than 50 flights a week.
Portugal is another big winner in the summer schedules, with 52 flights to Faro from Dublin, Cork, Belfast, Kerry, Knock and Derry, plus services to Lisbon and Oporto.
Routes to regional airports in France and Italy will see the return of Biarritz, Rennes, Brest, Marseilles, Bordeaux, Naples, Catania and Bologna, plus a Cork-La Rochelle service.
New European routes from Dublin are Cimber Sterling to Billund, in Denmark, Blue Air to Bucharest and airBaltic to Vilnius. Aer Lingus will also fly twice a week to Helsinki.
UK services will be beefed up as Aer Arann begins to operate provincial routes for Aer Lingus. Twelve services will operate from Dublin and Cork, including to Teeside from Dublin and Glasgow from Cork.
Transatlantic services will be operated by Aer Lingus, Delta, Continental, American Airlines and US Airways. There will be no direct services to the west coast; Aer Lingus’s partnerships with JetBlue and United will let passengers buy through tickets to many US destinations.
Canadian services return with Air Canada and Air Transat flying to Toronto and Montreal from May and June.
Services to the Middle East, Asia and Australia have already improved with the increase to 10 Etihad flights a week from Dublin to Abu Dhabi.