AQW 6637/16-21

Mr Stewart Dickson
Alliance Party
East Antrim

Tabled Date: 07/11/2016
Answered On Date: 22/11/2016
Priority Written: Yes

Question:
To ask the Minister for the Economy what reasons United Airlines has given for cancelling the Belfast to Newark flight; and why his Department was unable to secure the necessary funding.

Answer:

United Airlines has stated that it took the decision to cancel the Belfast to Newark service due to the poor financial performance of the route. The decision was prompted by the views of European Commission officials that the support being provided by the Northern Ireland Executive to maintain the service was State aid.

The necessary funding from both my Department and Belfast International Airport had already been secured.