An estimated 200 jobs are to be created in Belfast after the announcement from easyJet that it plans a major European route expansion out of the city.
Four new destinations - Alicante, Malaga, Nice and Paris - will be accessible from Belfast International Airport from late June. The Paris route will service Charles de Gaulle airport.
In addition, the three daily flights to Gatwick are to be increased to four, and a second daily service to Prague from the London airport will also be added. These routes will be in place by May 27th.
The changes mean that easyJet routes from Belfast will increase by 50 per cent to 13 destinations.
The expansion is a result of the Air Route Development Scheme set up by the Northern Ireland authorities to improve air services in the province.
Mr Ray Webster, easyJet chief executive, said: "The introduction of this initiative means that consumers in Northern Ireland now have more opportunities to travel throughout Europe . . . and there will be great benefits to the local economy as increasing numbers of Europeans travel to Belfast as a destination."
Ryanair has confirmed it will be operating a new service from Dublin to Reus, near the popular resort of Salou in Spain, from the end of next month.