Half a Million Passengers Fly Continental to the Big Apple in Five Years

The anniversary was marked by a reception at Aldergrove last week during which it emerged Tourism Ireland estimates the trans-Atlantic link has contributed at least 50 million to Northern Ireland's tourism economy.

Invest NI says the route has also made a huge impact on the wider business economy by enabling local businesses to connect directly to the North American marketplace while allowing potential investors to visit Northern Ireland quickly and conveniently.

Lucky Passengers Upgraded to BusinessFirst

Two lucky passengers also joined in the celebrations when they were upgraded to Continental's Business First service. This allowed them to unwind in the airline's new flat bed BusinessFirst seat.

Continental's Jim Summerford said: "The Belfast-New York service has been a remarkable success, with over half a million passengers using the service in the last five years.

"As the only trans-Atlantic carrier serving Belfast, Continental has been able to give people a convenient way of flying direct to and from America without having to travel via Dublin or Heathrow. Northern Ireland and the US enjoy strong social ties and business links and we're delighted to have helped support and develop these relationships with our nonstop flights."

Airport 'Proud' of Route's Success

John Doran, Managing Director of Belfast International Airport, commented: "We are delighted to be celebrating with Continental Airlines today and are rightly proud of the tremendous success of the route.

"The New York service has not only made an enormous contribution to the Northern Ireland tourism economy but it has also strengthened business links between Northern Ireland and the United States of America. We will continue to work closely with Continental to grow and develop this route to the benefit of the entire region."