Aer Lingus launches inaugural Boeing B757 service from Shannon to Boston
(PRWEB UK) 14 February 2014 -- This expansion plan includes new routes from Dublin to San Francisco and Toronto, as well as frequency increases on services from Shannon to Boston and New York.
This is the first of two Boeing B757 aircraft that will be based at Shannon, replacing a single Airbus A330, resulting in:
• Increased frequency - from seven transatlantic flights per week to 13 flights per week from Shannon
• Increased connectivity to North America via New York and Boston with partner airline, Jetblue Airways
• Return of year round transatlantic operations for Aer Lingus at Shannon
Flights between Shannon and Boston will operate daily while flights to New York from Shannon will operate six times a week, starting on 30th March. The increased frequency opens up additional connectivity to almost 40 cities in North America through partner airline, Jetblue Airways, allowing passengers to connect seamlessly to cities such as Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Seattle, Philadelphia, New Orleans, Fort Lauderdale, Phoenix, Washington, Orlando and Dallas.
Transatlantic connectivity, via Shannon, from other points on the Aer Lingus network will also increase, adding to Shannon Airport’s growth as a transfer hub.
Ten Aer Lingus routes to operate for summer 2014 from Shannon
Aer Lingus and Aer Lingus Regional, operated by Aer Arann, have increased the number of routes offered from Shannon Airport to ten for summer 2014, with a mix of business, sun and city break options. New routes for summer include a twice weekly service to Malaga and a daily flight to Bristol. Flights to Birmingham will double in frequency to two flights daily and flights to Manchester will benefit from seven additional weekly services bringing the total number of Manchester flights to twenty.
Aer Lingus Chief Executive, Christoph Mueller said, “This is a significant day for Aer Lingus and for our team at Shannon Airport. Today’s flight marks the beginning of our major transatlantic expansion in 2014. We are confident that the increased number of flights from Shannon to New York and Boston will bring additional tourists to the Western region and further support the strong international trade links between the region and the United States.
He added, “Our transatlantic capacity will increase by 24% in 2014, following on from a very strong year of growth in 2013. Crucially, this expansion will directly support more than 200 jobs in Ireland within Aer Lingus and our partner airline ASL Aviation Group.”
Deputy Pat Breen T.D., Chairman of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade said, “Today is another important milestone for Shannon Airport and is testament to the airline's commitment to the Shannon Region. I wish Aer Lingus and their partner airline, ASL Aviation Group, every success with this new venture. The restoration of these services will greatly enhance connectivity between the Shannon region and the east coast of the United States.”
He added, "Thanks to the success of The Gathering, the number of visitors coming here from the United States hit an all-time high last year. The increased capacity to Boston and New York and the reinstatement of year round connectivity will ensure that Shannon and the wider region will now be in a prime position to further strengthen our tourism and trade links with the US. Today's announcement is great news for the Shannon Airport Authority and for tourism and business interests in our Region.”
Neil Pakey, CEO Shannon Airport added, “Today is a very important day for us and for both the business and tourism communities of Ireland. Our passengers see not just the return of year-round Aer Lingus transatlantic services for the first time since 2009 at Shannon but also the near doubling of total frequencies to Boston and New York.
“Our catchment on transatlantic stretches from Cork right up to Donegal so this is a very significant boost for the very large market for services between Ireland and the US. It is also another key moment in the life of the independent Shannon Airport and in our role as gateway to the Wild Atlantic Way.”
About Aer Lingus
Aer Lingus was founded by the Irish Government in 1936 to provide air services between Ireland and the UK. The company employs 4,000 people and flew 9.5 million passengers in 2011. The principal group companies include Aer Lingus Limited, Aer Lingus Beachey Limited, Aer Lingus (Ireland) Limited and Dirnan Insurance Company Limited.
Gillian Culhane, Aer Lingus, http://www.aerlingus.com, 020 7004 8082, [email protected]
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