Belfast-based low cost airline start-up Fly Atlantic has pushed back its launch date from summer 2024 to spring 2025 due to low aircraft availability.
Back in November, the UK-owned Fly Atlantic announced Belfast International Airport as its chosen launch base with direct routes to Britain, continental Europe and North America.
The announcement came with the promise of 1,000 direct jobs and more than 20,000 indirect jobs locally by 2030 – along with major backing from local councils.
The airline has, reportedly, held discussions with both Boeing and Airbus, but has yet to announce what aircraft type it will use in its fleet.
Fly Atlantic chief executive Andrew Pyne said the launch process is taking longer than anticipated, due to low levels of aircraft availability.
Mr Pyne was quoted by Airways Magazine as saying: “The key issue is availability of aircraft.”
“With the bounce-back in passenger volumes, globally, post-pandemic, it’s become tougher to find suitable aircraft at the right price, hence the delay.”
“We would obviously like to be flying as soon as possible; delivering convenient, value-for-money transatlantic flights to the long-suffering Northern Ireland travelling public. However, setting up a new transatlantic airline is a complex exercise, and we are dependent on a number of external factors,” Mr Pyne added.
