Aer Lingus this weekend began a new service connecting the west coast of Ireland to London Heathrow and recommenced direct flights to Hartford, Connecticut from Dublin.
New Knock-Heathrow service
The inaugural Aer Lingus flight EI916, operated by an Airbus A320, departed from Ireland West Airport at Knock for Heathrow at 1.05pm on Sunday afternoon.
"Given the proximity of Knock to the Wild Atlantic Way and the huge spotlight on the west of Ireland following the box-office hit The Banshees of Inisherin, the new route will connect GB visitors and those travelling via Heathrow to one of Ireland’s most popular destinations," the airline said.
Tourism Ireland figures indicate that the majority of visitors to Ireland are from Great Britain (42 per cent), followed by the US (15 per cent).
Aer Lingus chief executive Lynne Embleton said: “The west of Ireland has much to offer as a tourist destination with the world renowned Wild Atlantic Way on its doorstep. Our new Knock-Heathrow service is an exciting new route for Aer Lingus and the region, bringing travellers from Great Britain right to the heart of the action. Equally, customers from the west of Ireland will now fly into London Heathrow, the UK’s largest airport, and have the opportunity to travel onwards to cities all over the world.”
Return to Hartford – 'driving connectivity to North America'
The weekend also marked the recommencement of Aer Lingus’ Dublin-Hartford service for the first time in over two years. Aer Lingus flight EI131, which departed from Dublin for Hartford yesterday afternoon, is operated by an Airbus A321neoLR (Long Range)
The return of daily service between Dublin and Hartford is a critical milestone for Bradley International Airport as Aer Lingus operates the only direct service from there to Europe.
Connecticut Airport Authority executive director Kevin A. Dillon said: “We are thrilled to have Aer Lingus back at Bradley International Airport. Their return strengthens our pandemic recovery and is key to our continued growth. Leading up to the return, we have already seen a lot of excitement from travellers, and we are extremely proud to once again offer easy and quick transatlantic access to Ireland and beyond.”
Hartford is one of 16 North American destinations that Aer Lingus will operate this summer. "With over 2.25 million transatlantic seats on sale, 2023 marks the airline’s largest ever North American summer schedule to date. As part of that Aer Lings will have a direct route to Cleveland, Ohio, starting in May."
