easyJet is to scrap winter flights from Belfast International Airport to Berlin.

The airline is blaming lack of demand rather than the high cost of oil for its decision, however, last month Flybe cited soaring oil costs for cancelling its Belfast City Airport to Paris service.

Jet2.com has announced that it is to introduce two new routes from Belfast International Airport.

The new Belfast flights will operate to Jersey and Menorca and mark the airline’s commitment to Belfast – Jet2.com now offers 13 routes from the airport.

The new Jersey service will commence on 23 May 2009, while flights to Menorca will start on 19 June 2009.

Belfast International Airport is bracing itself for a record summer as more than 1.2 million passengers are expected to pass through the airport.

With Belfast flights available to more than 100 worldwide destinations including North America, Italy and the Eastern Mediterranean the airport expects to handle more than 5.5 million passengers this year.

Belfast International managing director John Doran said, “This year’s figures are extremely encouraging against what is a testing time for all involved in the travel trade throughout Northern Ireland. The choice and availability of destinations on offer to local passengers is better than ever with a number of new, exciting locations available on the route network served by Belfast International.”

“We are also seeing an increase in passengers from the border counties who are travelling to Belfast International as opposed to Dublin airport in ever-increasing numbers because of the strength of the euro, not only to secure substantial savings, but also to avail of the increased range of destination choice available to holiday venues like Italy and the Eastern Mediterranean - and even North America where the savings against the dollar are even more pronounced - as well as experiencing a more relaxed environment for departing and returning.”

Strict security restrictions at all the UK airports have led to thousands of pounds worth of items being confiscated every day, but have you every wondered what actually happens to them once they’ve been taken from you?

At Belfast International Airport prohibited items, which are abandoned at security, are bundled up in to hampers and donated to charity.

One of the recipients is Friends of the Cancer Centre (FCC) at Belfast City Hospital. Colleen Shaw, Fundraising manager with FCC said, “We are very grateful to the airport for providing us with these beautiful hampers, this is the second time we have benefited, with the first hampers raising over £2000. I am sure passengers will be glad to know that the items are going to an excellent cause.

Suzanne Blair, Head of Security at Belfast International Airport said, “When travelling through the airport we ask passengers to be mindful of the security restrictions that remain in place when it comes to liquids, however, there are still many hundreds of liquid items abandoned weekly. Many of those items which are left behind can be used to benefit charities, and we believe that this is an excellent way of recycling these goods and assisting the charity fundraising.”

Flyglobespan has started its summer flights to Toronto from Belfast International Airport.

This is the second year of summer flights to Canada from Belfast with one-way prices starting from £129.

The airline also operates flights to Toronto from five other UK Airports including Gatwick, Manchester Airport and, for the first time this year, Bristol Airport.

Manx2.com is to increase the frequency of flights it offers between the Isle of Man and Belfast to up to sixteen a day from October. The airline currently offers up to fourteen flights on these routes on a Friday, but the new timetable will offer more peak morning and evening departures.

The new timetable will mean Manx2.com offers 80,000 seats on Isle of Man to Belfast flights every year.

“The recent demise of Euromanx has left some questions in Islanders’ minds about local aviation which we fully intend to answer”, says Manx2.com’s communications director James Filleul.

“We have already booked more than 2,000 former Euromanx passengers onto our services free of charge, and we are now increasing the frequency of our flights to Belfast to make sure there is even more choice of flight times for customers – and, despite the ever increasing cost of fuel, we are still offering fares on the route from £15 (online single including tax with no fuel surcharges)!”

Manx2.com uses nineteen seat aircraft on routes between the Isle of Man, Leeds Bradford Airport, Belfast (City and International), Gloucester (M5), Nottingham East Midlands Airport, Jersey and Blackpool Airport.

easyJet is now offering fast track security clearance and access to the Belfast Airport Business Lounge to all passengers flying from Belfast International airport to any London Airport.

The offer is only available on day return Belfast flights made during the week.

The airline offers a choice of 15 flights a day to London Gatwick, London Luton Airport and London Stansted.

Carly Brear, easyJet’s UK commercial manager, said, “easyJet is always looking for new ways to improve its offering to business passengers and its great that we have been able to further enhance our unrivalled services from Belfast International Airport to offer fast track through security and lounge access at the airport for our passengers for no extra cost. This offer is open to all business travellers flying with easyJet to London on a day return and is just another reason why easyJet remains Northern Ireland’s favourite airline”

To take up easyJet’s offer passengers need to present their boarding card at the Security Search Area .

Aer Lingus has unveiled its winter schedule for Belfast International Airport which includes three brand new routes.

The addition of the new services to Munich, Milan and Lanzarote will see the number of direct scheduled international destinations increase to 34. Other winter destinations include Malaga, Rome, Paris, Amsterdam and Barcelona.

A multi-million pound development programme is currently underway at Belfast airport, which will handle nearly six million passengers this year.

For more information about Belfast airport and to book Belfast airport parking and Belfast airport hotels click on the links.

easyJet now offers an ‘early bird’ service from Belfast International Airport to London Gatwick.

The new Belfast flights depart Belfast International at 06:30 arriving at Gatwick at 07:55.

easyJet will continue to operate the existing four weekday flights from Belfast International to Gatwick, at 0900, 1210, 1440 and 1905.

Carly Brear, easyJet UK commercial manager, says: “We fully realise that time is money for business people. This new flight means that they will be able to arrive in London in time for a full day’s work or indeed an early morning meeting.

“We are grateful to the business community for their loyalty in helping to make us Northern Ireland’s favourite airline, and are always conscious of fine-tuning to provide the best possible package for them. With 15 flights a day to the capital and this new improved schedule, we are confident we are offering business travellers in Northern Ireland what they need.”

For up-to-date Belfast airport information and to book Belfast airport parking and Belfast hotels click on the links.

Aer Lingus is this week launching four new routes from Belfast International Airport.

Yesterday saw the launch of Belfast flights to Rome and Malaga, both operating four times per week, and today sees the start of tri-weekly flights to Faro and Budapest.

The airline has launched eight new routes at the airport since adding Belfast International Airport to its list of bases on 10 December 2007.

On 30 March, the airline will also add a new daily service to Paris and, on 1 April, flights to Nice will begin.

For up-to-date Belfast airport information and to book Belfast airport parking and Belfast hotels click on the links.