Aer Lingus, Aer Arann add new routes

Aer Arann and Aer Lingus’s joint venture is to add two new routes from next March, operating between Dublin, Aberdeen and Bristol.

The Aer Lingus Regional service will operate three return flights six days each week and two returns flights on Saturdays between Dublin and Bristol, and will fly six days a week to Aberdeen.

The services will also connect both routes with onward connections from Dublin to Aer Lingus trans-Atlantic services.

The first flights will begin on March 2th and will be operated by a new ATR 72 aircraft.

The additional routes come as the Government announced it would lower the travel tax imposed on air passengers to €3.

Aer Arann chief executive Paul Schütz said routes would benefit both business and tourism.

The number of Aer Lingus Regional routes operated by Aer Arann will grow to 15 with the addition of the Bristol and Aberdeen route. The joint venture passenger numbers to grow to 750,000 in 2011.