Aer Lingus Back at Liverpool after 14 years

I was not sure if this has already been posted as i have not been on the forum for ages so her goes

Aer Lingus return to Liverpool after 14 years and bring back long haul connections July 2004

Aer Lingus have announced that they will be operating a daily service from Dublin to Liverpool John Lennon Airport at the end of October 2004, making a return on the route after an absence of 14 years.

Aer Lingus were one of the first airlines to operate from Liverpool, having established links with the Irish capital in 1936, almost 70 years ago. However, following the establishment of Ryanair on the route in 1988, Aer Lingus ceased their Dublin service two years later in 1990.

Having seen the transformation in recent years to Liverpool John Lennon Airport, with the new terminal building and passenger numbers rapidly rising to over 3 million per year, Aer Lingus have decided to restablish their links with Liverpool, complimenting the three times daily Ryanair service to Dublin.

Fares will start as low as £13.00 one way excluding taxes, with the airline using a 120 seat Boeing 737 on the route.

What is important to the Airport however, is the ability for passengers to interline with the range of other European and long haul routes operated by Aer Lingus via Dublin. For example, passengers will now be able to check-in at Liverpool John Lennon Airport and connect onto the Aer Lingus flight to New York, without having to re-check-in at Dublin. In addition passengers travelling to America will clear all US Immigration checks at Dublin Airport, avoiding the delays encountered by other passengers who are processed upon arrival in the US. Such a system is not available at any UK airport.

This facility will be just as important in helping to attract more international visitors to Merseyside as well, with the potential to grow the important US visitor market which until now has been unable to interline on flights direct to Liverpool.

Neil Pakey, Liverpool John Lennon Airport’s Managing Director added, “This is tremendous news for the Airport, adding another new name to the list of operators, though in many ways we feel we are welcoming back an old friend.”

“The ability to offer a hassle free interline capability with Aer Lingus’ comprehensive range of destinations from Dublin is very important for the Airport and for the region. I have said for some time that US passengers in particular often ignore visiting Liverpool when the airline reservation systems don’t show direct interline connections from the likes of Heathrow or Gatwick. This is now no longer the case with the link via Dublin, which is very important as we look forward to the City’s European Capital of Culture status in 2008”.