Aer Arann operates between domestic airports in Ireland and flies between Ireland and the UK and Europe.

‘We said when we were announcing our winter schedule that we will be continuing to develop new routes wherever we see an opportunity,’ said CEO designate Paul Schütz.
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He said the new route underlines Aer Arann’s policy to provide services linking regional airports with major urban centres.

Blackpool airport is the regional airport for Lancashire and Cumbria and serves as a gateway to the northwest of England.

But the new route announcement comes the week after Aer Arann said that it is suspending services on three of its other routes.

The routes to be suspended from January 12 are the Galway-Waterford to Amsterdam service, the Kerry to Manchester service and the Cork to Glasgow-Prestwick service.

Last month Aer Arann said it was seeking up to 100 redundancies as part of a cost reduction programme. The airline said it wanted to concentrate the airline more on charter flights and leasing its aircraft and crews to other airlines.

But last week it said that following the creation of a new Isle of Man base, up to 30 positions – mainly among flight crew and cabin crew – which had been up for redundancy will now be safe.

The airline said that the total number of redundancies will be limited to 70.

The first flight on the new Dublin to Blackpool service will depart on January 5. Introductory fares on the daily service will start at €39.99 one way, including taxes and charges.