The first direct air service between Belfast and News York is announced.
Aldergrove airport is to get its first scheduled service to the United States of America because of a new bid for a slice of the low cost transatlantic fairs market.
Atlantic Express has been set up by a number of Northern business people to act as exclusive agents for Air National Services, a Californian company, who in order to fill unsold seats, will be stopping off at Belfast to collect passengers on their Athens to New York flights.
Initially the Athens New York flights will touch down at Belfast’s Aldergrove airport twice weekly, but Atlantic Express plan to have their own planes after a year.
Potentially passengers will be able to avail of the cheapest transatlantic fairs out of Ireland with a return flight from Belfast costing over £100 less than any flights from the south of Ireland.
President of Atlantic Express Limited Andrew Mulligan says people from the Republic of Ireland already visit the north to do their Christmas shopping as it makes sense economically. However,
We don’t believe that we’re going to dilute Aer Lingus passengers by a great deal.
Air National are establishing a servicing area at Aldergrove airport and the airline plans to have a staff of up to 700 people.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 12 March 1984. The reporter is Cathal Mac Coille.
