Showing posts with label Belfast. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Belfast. Show all posts

06 October, 2023

Northern Ireland’s largest airline easyJet has celebrated 25 years of flying passengers to and from Belfast International Airport


easyJet, Europe’s leading airline and the largest airline in Northern Ireland is celebrating 25 years of flying passengers to and from Belfast International Airport.

To mark the occasion the airline surprised passengers flying today from Belfast International with giveaways throughout the day including free easyJet return flights. Other celebrations, including cake giveaways, happened at the airport throughout the morning.

Since easyJet’s very first flight from Belfast to London Luton a quarter of a century ago, the airline has gone from strength to strength flying over 70 million passengers in that time with over 4.5 million flown in last year. This year easyJet welcomed its eighth Airbus A320 family aircraft to the base, the most since operations began, demonstrating the airline’s long-term commitment to Northern Ireland and operated its largest flying programme from Belfast International with 9.4% more capacity than pre-pandemic, flying 3.2 million seats to and from Belfast International. 

In the past year, the airline’s network has gone from strength to strength, adding four new routes to Antalya in Turkey, Rhodes in Greece, Southampton and most recently Hurghada, providing connections between Belfast and Egypt for the first time.

Flights to Hurghada are set to launch on 31 October with weekly departures throughout the year. Flights to Southampton from Belfast International are set to launch on 29 October with departures up to three times a week, further strengthening domestic connectivity between the regions. 

easyJet now offers more capacity from Belfast to Spain and Portugal than any other airline and links Belfast International with more London airports than any other airline, providing over 90 flights a week from Belfast International.

29 June, 2023

The UK's worst ranked airports for cancellations.....

UK’s airports ranked on performance ahead of summer holidays


220m passed through UK airports in 2022
Glasgow cancelled the most flights with 1,500 in 2022
Belfast & Stansted were reliable with only 0.8% & 0.7% of flights cancelled


The latest research by tax specialists, RIFT, reveals that while Heathrow may be the UK’s busiest major airport, Brits heading abroad this summer are best to avoid Glasgow Airport, as it ranks as the worst when it comes to the proportion of flights being cancelled.

RIFT analysed the number of annual flights and cancellations at each of the UK’s 10 busiest airports to see which provides the most efficient service to passengers. 

Last year (2022), a combined total of 221.8 million passengers passed through the UK’s 10 busiest airports. 


28%, or 61.6 million, of these people travelled through Heathrow, making it the busiest airport in the nation. 

Gatwick handled 32.8 million passengers (15%), while Manchester and Stansted (10.5%) each served an estimated 23.3 million passengers (11%).

However, when it comes to the possibility of flight cancellations throwing a spanner in the works for UK holidaymakers, it’s Glasgow Airport that is most likely to kick off your holiday on a sour note. 

In 2022 2.5% of all flights from Glasgow were cancelled and while this might not seem like many, it equates to almost 1,500 cancellations. 


Heathrow does rank second when it comes to the frequency of cancelled flights. Of the 367,000 flights that were due to take off last year, Heathrow saw a cancellation rate of 1.7% or 6,391 flights.

Gatwick (3,472) and Edinburgh (1,363) also rank high with 1.6% of flights taken off the board.

Meanwhile, Birmingham airport handled almost 69,000 flights in 2022 and managed a cancellation rate of just 0.6%, equivalent to less than 400 flights. 

Stansted (0.7%) and Belfast International (0.8%) were also impressively reliable. 






Check the tables online here RIFT Holiday cancellations and passports 

What to do if your flight is cancelled


If your flight is cancelled, you have a legal right to either a full refund or a replacement flight to your intended destination. 

If you are halfway through a journey and the cancelled flight is, for example, a connecting flight, you also have the right to a free flight back to the airport you originally departed from. 

If a cancellation delays your journey for more than two hours, and occurs less than 14 days before the scheduled flight time, you are also entitled to compensation to cover your costs, such as food or accommodation when required. 

Compensation ranges between £100-£500 depending on how many miles the cancelled flight was going to take you and how many hours late your eventual arrival was. 

Be passport prepared


While cancelled flights are a common cause of holiday frustration and disappointment, it’s more common for holidays to be disrupted by passport issues. 

If your passport is out of date, it needs renewing before you can travel. The timeline for receiving a new passport is around 12-29 days after submitting your application. But His Majesty’s Passport Office recommends you allow for a waiting time of 10 weeks. 

What’s really important to know is that even if your passport is within its expiry date, it still might not be valid depending on your destination of choice. 

Some countries, such as the US, simply require your passport to be in-date for the duration of your trip, but many popular destinations require you to have at least three months left on your passport, including Spain, Greece, Italy, and France.

Anyone who isn’t aware of this can be in for a nasty surprise when they get to the airport and cancelled flights will be the least of your worries. 

Be prepared and make sure you check the rules specific to your destination well ahead of travelling. 


Bradley Post, MD of RIFT, commented: “Given how many flights leave UK airports every day, it’s fair to say that the industry is highly efficient and reliable with cancellations kept at a minimum. 

In fact, if your holiday is going to get scuppered at the airport, it’s far more likely to be a passenger error than an airline error. Forgotten passports and out of date passports are always going to be leading contributors to ruined holidays. 

You’ve got to double check your passport well before you travel. And don’t forget, when a flight is cancelled by the airline, there’s a good chance of getting your money back. But if it’s your own fault that you can’t travel as planned, you’re not going to get any compensation whatsoever.”





02 December, 2022

Northern Ireland’s largest airline has revealed its plans for expansion at Belfast International Airport.......


easyJet, Northern Ireland’s largest airline has revealed its plans for expansion at Belfast International Airport with an additional Airbus A320 family aircraft based at the airport next summer. The airline has also announced it will launch a new summer route between Belfast and the popular Greek island of Rhodes.

easyJet will add an eighth aircraft to its Belfast base and launch a new route to Greek island of Rhodes
The aircraft’s arrival will create around 40 local job opportunities at the airport
The Airbus A320neo aircraft brings significant improvements in environmental and operational efficiencies compared to the previous generation of aircraft
Flights and easyJet holidays packages to Rhodes will launch on 3 June 2023 operating twice weekly throughout the summer and seats are on sale from 7th December 2022



The 186-seat A320neo aircraft will be based in Belfast throughout the summer season, and it joins three 156-seat Airbus A319, two 186-seat A320 and two 186-seat A320neo aircraft already serving the airline’s customers in Belfast. Compared to the current generation of aircraft, the Airbus NEO brings significant environmental benefits and operational efficiencies compared to the previous generation of aircraft, resulting in at least 15% less CO2 emissions and 50% less noise during take-off and landing. easyJet is one of the largest single-brand operators of NEOs in Europe.

The addition of the new aircraft will also create around 40 job opportunities at the airport.


The new route between Belfast and Rhodes is scheduled to launch on 3 June 2023, with twice weekly departures on Tuesdays and Saturdays, offering customers in Northern Ireland even more choice when it comes to picking a beach holiday destination with easyJet and easyJet holidays. Seats go on sale at easyJet.com and via the mobile app from 7th December.

For holidaymakers looking for the complete package, easyJet holidays operates to over 100 hotels in Rhodes. All beach holidays include 23kg of luggage per person, flights, hotels and transfers, and are covered by the easyJet holidays Protection Promise. The package provide has recently launched its Summer 2024 season which allows customers to plan and book their holidays in advance, all the way until 31 October 2024.

The airline has also revealed the results of a survey of 2000 UK consumers this week, which has shown that almost two-thirds (64%) are planning on flying abroad in 2023. Holidays topped the list of most important things people planned to spend on in 2023, with two-thirds (66%) saying this was the most important.

30 November, 2022

easyJet to expand its Belfast International Airport base


easyJet, Northern Ireland’s largest airline has revealed its plans for expansion at Belfast International Airport today, announcing that an additional Airbus A320 family aircraft will be based in Belfast this summer. The airline has also announced it will launch a new summer route between Belfast and the popular Greek island of Rhodes.

easyJet will add an eighth aircraft to its Belfast base and launch a new route to Greek island of Rhodes
The aircraft’s arrival will create around 40 local job opportunities at the airport
The Airbus A320neo aircraft brings significant improvements in environmental and operational efficiencies compared to the previous generation of aircraft
Flights and easyJet holidays packages to Rhodes will launch on 3 June 2023 operating twice weekly throughout the summer and seats are on sale from 7th December 2022



The 186-seat A320neo aircraft will be based in Belfast throughout the summer season, and it joins three 156-seat Airbus A319, two 186-seat A320 and two 186-seat A320neo aircraft already serving the airline’s customers in Belfast. Compared to the current generation of aircraft, the Airbus NEO brings significant environmental benefits and operational efficiencies compared to the previous generation of aircraft, resulting in at least 15% less CO2 emissions and 50% less noise during take-off and landing. easyJet is one of the largest single-brand operators of NEOs in Europe.

The addition of the new aircraft will also create around 40 job opportunities at the airport.


The new route between Belfast and Rhodes is scheduled to launch on 3 June 2023, with twice weekly departures on Tuesdays and Saturdays, offering customers in Northern Ireland even more choice when it comes to picking a beach holiday destination with easyJet and easyJet holidays. Seats go on sale at easyJet.com and via the mobile app from 7th December.

For holidaymakers looking for the complete package, easyJet holidays operates to over 100 hotels in Rhodes. All beach holidays include 23kg of luggage per person, flights, hotels and transfers, and are covered by the easyJet holidays Protection Promise. The package provide has recently launched its Summer 2024 season which allows customers to plan and book their holidays in advance, all the way until 31 October 2024.

The airline has also revealed the results of a survey of 2000 UK consumers this week, which has shown that almost two-thirds (64%) are planning on flying abroad in 2023. Holidays topped the list of most important things people planned to spend on in 2023, with two-thirds (66%) saying this was the most important.

12 July, 2022

Flybe starts services between East Midlands and Belfast City airports

Flybe starts services between East Midlands and Belfast City airports


The new version of the UK regional airline Flybe has begun operations to and from East Midlands and  Belfast this month with a daily rotation linking the two cities in a little over 40 minutes.

Belfast and Northern Ireland are great places to explore with so much on offer to tourists and business people alike. For example, the city itself has the world’s largest Titanic visitor experience, is a must-see and is just one of the many cultural escapes, scientific exhibitions and literary-inspired attractions in the city. A short journey away from Belfast, the rugged Causeway Coastal Route - voted the Number 1 Region in the World to visit by Lonely Planet in 2018 - is a popular attraction for lovers of the outdoors and keen walkers.  Of course, for Game of Thrones fans, there is no better place to visit. The popular TV series was filmed in Belfast and across Northern Ireland. The area’s rugged coastlines, historic castles and breath-taking scenery provided the perfect backdrop. The Game of Thrones tour takes in famous filming locations.

Clare James, East Midlands Airport’s Managing Director, said: “We’re delighted that this popular route is being well-served by flybe. Direct connectivity to Belfast is a boost for this region and the new route provides frequent and easy access to Northern Ireland for people who are visiting for leisure or business. It’s also great news for tourism in the East Midlands and we offer a very warm welcome to visitors who want to explore everything this region has to offer.” 


Dave Pflieger, flybe’s CEO added: “We’re overjoyed to be starting flights from East Midlands Airport to Belfast. Our commitment will always be towards offering customers choice whilst providing the great value we’re known for, and we think this is a fantastic route to represent that.

“Connectivity is a priority for us, which is what makes us proud to play a role in tying together these two iconic locations. The new route will be essential to our mission of becoming the number one choice for both regional flights in the UK and between the UK and EU. We’re confident that our flights from East Midlands to Belfast are yet another step towards the future we envision for flybe.”



27 March, 2022

Belfast - a city of contrasts



A city of contrasts,  a cosmopolitan centre, a vibrant film industry, fascinating walking tours, bus and taxi excursions, cultural escapes, scientific exhibitions and literary inspirations. Belfast has it all and I've not even mentioned the superb shopping, beautiful landmarks or friendly people.

Belfast is a great destination for a traditional city break,  although with so much on offer in and around the area, you might want to spend a bit longer there to explore everything there is on offer as well as going further afield. 

Fantastic Four.......




Top of the agenda to see in Belfast for so very many people is the stunningly designed Titanic Belfast visitor attraction.  In 2016, it was awarded the mantle of  World's Leading Tourist Attraction at the World Travel Awards and has been popular ever since. The funky building is located beside the Titanic Slipways, the Harland and Wolff Drawing Offices and Hamilton Graving Dock, the very place where Titanic was designed, built and launched in 1912.

Titanic Belfast, as you would expect, tells the story of the Titanic, from her conception in the early 1900s, through to construction and launch. It covers her maiden voyage and subsequent tragic end and her place in history.

The experience extends over nine interactive galleries, exploring the sights, sounds, smells and stories of RMS Titanic, as well as the city and people who made her.


Just a little way from Titinic Belfast is this SS Nomadic, perhaps most famous for the part she played in the Titanic story when she ferried first and second class passengers to Titanic from Cherbourg, but this was only the beginning of her extraordinary journey that stretches over 100 years. Restored to her original 1911 glory and back home in Belfast where she was designed and built, a visit to SS Nomadic and Hamilton Dock combines the authentic heritage and atmosphere of this historic ship with the intriguing stories of her passengers and the ups and downs of her dramatic career.

Stretched over four decks a visit to Nomadic allows you to experience first-hand what it was like to be a passenger boarding Titanic on her fateful maiden voyage, to marvel at the intricate details and the contrasts between the separated class areas on board.

Price for Totanic Expreience and SS Nomandic are Adult £21.50 and Child (5-15) £10.00




Game of Thrones Studio Tour



It may have finished quite some time ago,  but  Game of Thrones is still incredibly popular and in Belfast you can step inside the Seven Kingdoms and explore the whole world of Game of Thrones with the official Game of Thrones Studio Tour.

It is located at the shows filming location at Linen Mill Studios in Banbridge, Northern Ireland, and is a pretty immersive experience designed to give you a journey through the lands of Westeros and explore pretty much everything Game of Thrones.  Walk through iconic sets from Winterfell to King’s Landing, discover the secrets of filmmaking and explore the craftmanship and artistry responsible for bringing the global hit TV series to life on screen.

Ok, so yes it is outside of Belfast,  about 30 minutes away, but it really is worth taking a day trip here not just for a GoT fans, but for all wanting a great experience. However, it is pretty expensive,  Adult tickets start at £39.50 and for a child its £27.50.  



The Botanic Gardens 

The Botanic Gardens is perhaps a more relaxed and gentle attraction but should be a key excursion for most first visits to Belfast. It really is an important part of Belfast's Victorian heritage and a popular meeting place for residents, students and tourists.  It was established way back in 1828 by the Belfast Botanic and Horticultural Society, as a direct response to public demand. 

Originally known as the Belfast Botanic Garden, the site contained exotic tree species and impressive plant collections from the southern hemisphere, many of which can still be seen in the park.

Today, the park is popular destination for both visitors and locals, plus it is often (covid permitting) a venue for concerts, festivals and other fun events. 




Ulster Museum

It is a place where you can come face to face with dinosaurs, meet an ancient Egyptian mummy and see modern masterpieces.....where is it?     It is Ulster Museum.  The home of Northern Ireland's treasures from the present tdays to times long passed by. It houses a rich collection of art, history and natural sciences and - get this,  it is free to all visitors. Yay, super bargin with lots to see and do, as well as a bit of an exhibition on recent TV smash, Derry Girls. 




Other top attractions worthy of a visit or making time to explore include:


Parliament Buildings
Cathedral Quater 
City Hall
Peace Wall
Grand Opera House
Belfast Castle



Great prices for hotel stays....


Holiday Inn Belfast City Centre is conveniently located close to the city’s retail and entertainment districts. The hotel is adjacent to Belfast’s main transport interchange and is easily accessible to the main road network makes this a great place to base yourself for Belfast city stays. 




Radisson Blu Hotel



The hotel offers 120 guest rooms including five suites, two tower suites and the largest Presidential suite in the city. There is also onsite parking with over 200 spaces available.

Radisson Blu offers seven modern, flexible and fully equipped meeting rooms. The bedrooms are decorated in two unique styles, Urban and Nordic. In-room amenities include air conditioning, LCD TV, pay movies, laptop size safe, tea and coffee making facilities as well as complimentary high speed internet access for all guests.

For added luxuries and comfort upgrade to a Business Class room or one of eight suites. Additional amenities include complimentary newspaper, in-house movies, Super Breakfast Buffet, and a bathrobe and slippers. The hotel's Magnificent Suite 7 enjoys views across Belfast, a dining and lounge area, lobby and its own private boardroom with a kitchen.
For more information and reservations




This is usually a great value good quality and centrally located hotel. It is in a good location and offers all the usual facilities you should expect from a reasonably priced hotel. Complimentary high speed WiFi available throught the hotel. SQ Bar and Grill restaurant located within the Hotel, plus The Hub, place to meet, drink, eat, relax all on one floor. It's a four start property and has nice comfortable rooms and the location is great.




Hilton Belfast

The Hilton Belfast is a five start hotel with all the super features and amineties you should expect from such a hotel. It is located on the banks of the River Lagan and the heart of the city, the Hilton Belfast offers 198 guest rooms and suites and they all have  LED TVs, air conditioning, working desk with ergonomic chairs, tea/coffee making facility and minibar. 

Plus of course you have amazing views from the 11th Floor Executive Lounge for guests booking into Executive Floors and Suites; breakfast and evening drinks and canapes (6 - 8 pm) are served daily. 

Prime city center location next to Central Station, Belfast Waterfront and St. George's Market with financial, shopping and social districts nearby - Odyssey Arena, Titanic Belfast, Belfast City Hall, T13 and the Cathedral, Titanic and Queens Quarters all within 1 mile - WiFi available throughout hotel in public areas and in all areas for Hilton Honors Members.

The popular Sonoma Restaurant with river views serves breakfast and dinner daily. Relaxed dining, coffee and extensive drinks menu all day in Cables Bar.

Form more details and to book at the best rates.....



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