Flybe: Airline announces 12 routes from Belfast

Flybe had operated the majority of flights at Belfast City Airport before its 2020 collapse

Flybe has announced the introduction of 12 new routes from Belfast City Airport to start from next month.

Flights to London Heathrow, Glasgow, Birmingham and Leeds Bradford will begin in April.

Other routes, including Manchester, Edinburgh, Newcastle and Amsterdam are expected to start in the summer.

Flybe was taken over after collapsing in 2020 when it accounted for 80% of flights at Belfast City Airport.

A former shareholder bought the airline's remaining assets, later establishing a new headquarters in Birmingham.

The company had said the coronavirus outbreak and the downturn in demand for air travel was partly to blame for its collapse.

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In a website post, the company said its new routes will begin from 13 April, with a flight from Belfast City to Birmingham.

FlyBe went into administration in March 2020 after a long period of financial difficulty.

At that time, it accounted for 80% of flights operating from the city airport.

The business was bought out of administration by the investment fund, Cyrus Capital.

Before its collapse, Flybe carried 8m passengers a year and ran 40% of regional UK flights.

Glasgow services follow from 14 April, with Leeds Bradford and Heathrow resuming on 28 April.

Many of the flights will operate multiple times during the day, with some on a number of days each week.

The flight to Amsterdam will resume on a daily basis from 28 May.

The last services announced will begin on 25 August from Belfast City to Inverness and Newcastle.

Many of the routes cover those previously operated by Flybe from Belfast before the pandemic.