Ryanair changes airport on route between London and Belfast

Ryanair is switching its Belfast-London route from Gatwick to Stansted Airport

Ryanair is to change the airport it uses when its flights between Belfast International and London resume.

It is switching services from Gatwick to Stansted from 1 March.

Ryanair flights to Gatwick, which began last year, were halted at the start of November as part of wider schedule changes.

It originally got the Belfast-Gatwick slots as part of conditions attached to the International Airline Group (IAG) takeover of Aer Lingus.

Earlier this year, Ulster Unionist MEP Jim Nicholson raised questions about Ryanair suspending the service.

Ryanair began operating from a new base at Belfast International Airport last year

He has since been told by the European Commission, who approved the IAG takeover, that Ryanair decided to surrender the slots.

"This business decision is the responsibility of Ryanair," a letter from the commission to Mr Nicholson states.

It adds: "Ryanair has returned the slots to IAG as the commitments attached to the commission decision do not allow the slots to be reallocated to another route than London Gatwick-Belfast."

Ryanair said in a statement that its suspended Belfast-London service was being reinstated one month earlier than previously planned.

In 2016 the Belfast International-Gatwick route was the busiest in Northern Ireland, carrying almost 860,000 passengers.

The route is also served by EasyJet.

Ulster Unionist MEP Jim Nicholson said the news was concerning.

"The route between Belfast International Airport and Gatwick is absolutely vital for Northern Ireland's infrastructure. Losing this route would have a direct impact on our local economy," he said.

"I have written to EU Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager to seek an urgent meeting with her to discuss the matter, and to see what action the EU is taking to protect this route."