City of Derry Airport announces flights to Birmingham

Ryanair is to launch a service between Londonderry and Birmingham later this year, City of Derry Airport has announced.

The airport said twice-weekly flights will begin in April.

A previous Ryanair flight connecting Birmingham and Derry was scrapped in 2014.

Demand for the Birmingham route has been growing in recent years, City of Derry Airport's managing director Steve Frazer said.

He added that the route will help bring new investment opportunities and a new tourism market from the Midlands.

City of Derry Airport is owned by Derry City and Strabane District Council

"We are thrilled to expand our route map with Ryanair and provide a much-needed service for our local catchment area," he said.

City of Derry Airport is owned by Derry City and Strabane District Council and costs ratepayers £3.45m to help with operational costs, which is 5% of the council's entire annual budget.

The airport operates twice daily return flights to Heathrow and also has flights to Manchester and Glasgow.