Ryanair to quit Northern Ireland in October

The budget airline will leave Belfast International and Belfast City airports at the end of the summer season.

The carrier operates six routes from Belfast International and eight from Belfast City.

The airline announced in March that it would offer a summer programme from Belfast City, its first in 11 years. It confirmed six routes to Spain and one each to Portugal and Italy from June until October.

However, the carrier has now served notice on both airports.

It said: “Due to the UK government’s refusal to suspend or reduce APD and the lack of Covid recovery incentives from both Belfast airports, Ryanair will cease operations from Belfast International and Belfast City airports from the end of the summer schedule in October and these aircraft will be reallocated to lower cost airports elsewhere in the UK and Europe for the winter schedule which starts in November.”

A Belfast City spokesperson said “the Ryanair routes at Belfast City Airport were only seasonal routes for summer 2021” but declined to comment further.