Aer Lingus Regional has commenced flying between Dublin and Leeds-Bradford Airport (LBA), located in the north of England. The new flights are operated by Emerald Airlines, the exclusive provider of regional services to the Irish national carrier.
The shamrock arrives in Yorkshire
Yesterday saw the launch of the latest route to be operated by Emerald Airlines on behalf of Aer Lingus Regional. Linking the Irish capital with the largest conurbation in West Yorkshire, the airline will operate the route 13 times per week using its fleet of ATR 72-600 turboprops.
The double daily service (once daily on Saturdays) connects the two regions and allows passengers traveling between Leeds-Bradford and Dublin direct onward connectivity from Yorkshire onto Aer Lingus' network of North American destinations, including New York, Boston, Chicago, Washington D.C, and Philadelphia.
The service will also allow connecting passengers to avail of the US Immigration pre-clearance facility at Dublin Airport, meaning that passengers arriving in North America from Dublin will be treated as domestic passengers, skipping lengthy immigration queues upon their arrival stateside.
Attractive schedule for business travelers
The new services depart Dublin at 06.50 in the morning and 17.45 in the evening, returning from Leeds-Bradford at 08.35 and 19.40. This carefully crafted schedule allows for a full day's business at their destination for travelers in either direction. Saturdays see just the earlier rotation operating. The airline will compete against Irish low-cost carrier Ryanair which operates 15 services per week on the same route using its fleet of Boeing 737-800 aircraft.
Attending the launch of the new flights yesterday, Nicola McMullen, Aviation Director at Leeds-Bradford Airport, said,
“As passenger levels return to normal, the connection between LBA and Dublin remains important for our region, with many passengers traveling for business and leisure. The route will provide a valuable connection to the US with pre-clearance, meaning passengers can travel through immigration smoothly. We’re delighted that we were able to celebrate this new route with our colleagues at Emerald Airlines and look forward to welcoming passengers to LBA.”
A strong start from Emerald
Emerald Airlines officially became the operator of the Aer Lingus Regional franchise in August 2021 and received its Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) a month later. The airline began operating flights earlier this year, with its inaugural flight from its Dublin base to Donegal on February 26th.
The carrier has a current fleet of seven ATR 72-600, each seating 70 passengers, and has three more of the type on order. The type is the latest generation of the popular turboprop aircraft, which combines unmatched environmental and economic performance, emitting up to 40% less CO₂ on the short, regional flights operated by Emerald Airlines, for which the type is ideally suited.
Eyes on further expansion
Despite starting operations just under three months ago, Aer Lingus Regional, alongside its partner Emerald Airlines, shows no signs of slowing its expansion plans. Flights from Dublin to the Isle of Man commenced in March, and those from Dublin to Exeter and Newquay will launch at the end of this month. Services to Jersey will start at the end of May.
The airline has also recently opened a second base in Northern Ireland, operating from Belfast City Airport to Birmingham, Edinburgh, Exeter, Glasgow, and Manchester. It will directly compete against the newly-relaunched Flybe on several of these routes.
Indeed, Leeds-Bradford will soon see further Emerald Airlines aircraft gracing its apron. The airline intends to launch direct flights between the airport and Belfast City from mid-May, operating a double daily service between Yorkshire and Northern Ireland.
Commenting on the launch of the new flights between Leeds-Bradford, Dublin, and Belfast, Ciaran Smith, Head of Commercial at Emerald Airlines, stated,
“We are delighted to be commencing our services between Leeds-Bradford and Dublin. We recognize the vital importance of regional air connectivity and the key role this air link to Dublin provides for business, tourism, and leisure travel. In addition, we’re excited to add additional capacity to our existing service from Leeds to Belfast City from mid-May, and I am sure this additional capacity will prove popular for business customers. In particular, the new morning and afternoon flight facilitates day return options. We look forward to working with our partners in Leeds Bradford Airport to ensure that these routes continue to be a success.”
Leeds-Bradford is on the road to recovery
Like many regional airports worldwide, Leeds-Bradford has had a torrid time over the past couple of years following the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the airport is now bouncing back strongly as the demand for air travel recovers.
By Summer 2022, nine major airlines at the airport will serve over 64 international scheduled destinations, four domestic scheduled destinations, and three charter/specialist destinations.
Across its route network, the airport will provide connectivity to top destinations, including Spain, The Netherlands, Portugal, Turkey, Poland, France, Greece, Cyprus, and through the new link with Aer Lingus Regional, the Republic of Ireland. In addition to these services, Leeds Bradford will also offer scheduled services to three major European hubs, providing onward connectivity options to worldwide destinations via Dublin, Amsterdam, and London Heathrow.
Have you had the chance to fly on an Aer Lingus Regional flight operated by Emerald Airlines yet? Where do you think the airline will expand next? Let us know in the comments.