NEW YORK -- Irish regional airline Aer Arann reinstated nonstop air
service -- unavailable since 1995 -- between the Ireland and
Northern Ireland capitals with twice-daily, 40-minute turboprop
flights priced from about $68 roundtrip.
The air carrier hopes to carry some 40,000 passengers -- mainly
business travelers -- on the Dublin-Belfast route annually.
Aer Arann managing director Padraig O'Ceidigh estimated that 3
million travelers move between the capitals each year: 2 million do
so by bus and 1 million by train.
"We are confident that we can capture a substantial percentage
of this market," he said.
In other news, Aer Arann also increased Cork-Dublin frequencies
to nine flights, starting Oct. 27, and inaugurated daily service
from Galway to Manchester, England.