Dublin-based airline CityJet, which employs 625 people, has announced eight new routes from London City Airport.
But none of the new services will be to Ireland. The airline says it has no immediate plans to expand its Dublin routes until 'infrastructural modifications' are made at Dublin Airport. It said it would consider extra services from Dublin to Paris or new routes to Amsterdam.
CEO Geoffrey O'Byrne-White said: 'It's a nightmare trying to work at Dublin Airport'. But he said the airline was committed to keeping its headquarters in Swords.
He said recent expansion in Dublin had been of the low-cost variety with single-flight services daily. CityJet's fleet is designed for multiple daily flights.
CityJet has flown Air France routes since 1994, and has been owned by Air France since 2000. The routes announced today are to Geneva, Madrid, Milan Linate, Nice and Zurich. In association with ScotAirways, it will also fly to Dundee, Edinburgh and Belfast Harbour Airport.
Etienne Rachon of Air France says the expansion takes the airline a step closer to being a truly European airline as it foes not touch the home Air France market.
When the new routes are operating, the Air France-KLM group will have 86 flights daily out of London City.
