Aer Lingus is inaugurating a new Airbus A330 trans Atlantic route from Shannon to Chicago today, to fly three times a week in the summer months and twice weekly in winter.
Mr David Bunworth, Aer Lingus marketing director, said advance bookings on trans Atlantic routes were up for the third year running. Agreements with United Airlines will feed traffic back into Ireland from the US midwest and the west coast.
British Midland started a new service from Dublin to East Midlands Airport yesterday, marking the seventh anniversary of the airline's Dublin Heathrow service.