Aer Lingus Regional to launch additional routes

Business travellers will see increased frequencies on flights from the UK regions to Dublin and Cork following the franchise deal between Aer Lingus and regional carrier Aer Arann.

Aer Arann will operate 12 routes as Aer Lingus Regional from March 28, including three new routes; from Dublin to Doncaster/Sheffield and Durham Tees Valley and from Cork to Glasgow.

Capacity will also be added on Dublin-Edinburgh, which will operate three times a day with two new frequencies provided by Aer Arann, supplementing the existing Aer Lingus flight. Frequency on the Aer Lingus route from Dublin to Glasgow will increase up to four times a day.

Aer Arann's existing services from Dublin to Blackpool and Cardiff and from Cork to Cardiff, Bristol and Edinburgh will take the Aer Lingus brand, as will its seasonal services from Cork to Jersey and La Rochelle.

Under the franchise agreement, Aer Arann's 72-seater aircraft will be repainted and replace Aer Lingus's 174-seater Airbus A320s.

Aer Arann's corporate affairs director Andrew Kelly said the smaller aircraft would enable the routes to be viable and act as a feeder service for Aer Lingus's transatlantic routes.

"We are taking A320 routes and doubling frequencies. Where Aer Lingus does one or two a day, we will do four and feed transatlantic from Dublin."

Kelly said Aer Arann was moving away from being a point to point airline to become more of a regional feeder service and said there was a good case for flying from the UK regions to the US via Dublin.

"If you are in Durham or Doncaster and want to go to the US, it is easier to go to Dublin and go through US immigration and customs there than go to a London airport."

Aer Arann is retaining its own brand for its London City-Isle of Man service. This is aimed at business travellers and, unlike the feeder routes, is full service, with free onboard food and drink.

The Aer Arann name will also remain on intra-Ireland routes from Dublin and Cork plus all routes from Galway, Donegal and Waterford.