Easyjet has announced two new routes to/from Belfast to mark 15 years since it first started flying to the city.
From next summer, the budget carrier will introduce new flights from Belfast to Bordeaux and Jersey. Seats for both routes will go on sale next month.
Ali Gayward, Easyjet's head of Northern Ireland, said: "We're pleased to mark this important anniversary for Easyjet by announcing two new routes for Northern Ireland.
"From summer 2014, we will introduce flights to Bordeaux and Jersey to offer a range of new holiday and business connections to and from Northern Ireland."
Easyjet has six aircraft based permanently at Belfast International Airport and employs over 200 crew and pilots there. Over three million people fly to and from Belfast International Airport with the airline annually.
John Doran, managing director at Belfast International Airport, said: "Since their first flight from Belfast International Airport in 1998, Easyjet has grown rapidly and now carries more passengers into and out of Northern Ireland than any other airline.
"One of the main reasons for their success is that easyJet provide low fares to the destinations to which both business and leisure passengers want to travel.
"It was not uncommon in the mid-nineties to be charged fares of over £300 to travel between Northern Ireland and significant UK cities such as Edinburgh, Liverpool and Bristol.
"Easyjet changed all of that, as well as adding direct access to European cities from Belfast, and for that alone the Northern Ireland public owe them a huge debt of gratitude."
TIMELINE — EASYJET AT BELFAST INTERNATIONAL
September 1998 First EasyJet flight arrives from London Luton
July 1999 New route introduced to Liverpool
October 2000 Easyjet increase flights between Northern Ireland and England
January 2001 New service to Amsterdam introduced
October 2001 New services to Glasgow and Edinburgh introduced
October 2002 Easyjet establishes a base in Belfast
February 2003 New services added to Newcastle and London Gatwick
June 2004 Significant growth in international routes including Paris, Spain and Portugal
November 2007 Sixth aircraft arrives at Belfast and five new routes launched
October 2011 New route to Manchester
October 2012 New route to Birmingham
September 2013 Easyjet celebrates 15th anniversary at Belfast International Airport
Spring 2014 New routes to Bordeaux and Jersey launch
Graham Smith
