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Flights to Faro in the Algarve region of Portugal, and to Dubrovnik, Croatia, are now on sale at Belfast International Airport. The two routes, operated by budget airline, Jet2, will take off in summer 2012.

Self-proclaimed “leading leisure airline”, Jet2, will fly to Faro every Saturday from May next year. Tickets for the flight begin at £39.99 for a one-way journey, taxes included. “We are delighted to announce the launch of this new route from Belfast”, explained Ian Doubtfire, managing director for the Leeds-based carrier. “The new flights to the Algarve perfectly complement the existing destinations on offer (from Belfast).”

Jet2 offers routes from Ireland to ‘sun and sea’ spots in Spain and the Mediterranean, namely, Alicante and Murcia, and the three Balearic Islands, Majorca, Menorca, and Ibiza. Faro is the airline’s 13th destination from Belfast International.

Faro, located near the Ria Formosa National Park, is arguably, one of the most popular holiday destinations available from airports in the UK. The city enjoys clement temperatures all year round, and is notable for its ‘island beaches’, some of which are only accessible via boat. The beaches are, in fact, sand-spits that have formed around the Ria Formosa lagoon.

Dubrovnik, the second of Jet2’s new routes, is a port city on the coastline of the Adriatic Sea. The destination is a World Heritage Site, and as such, is wealthy in historic architecture. The Walls of Dubrovnik, for example, have stood since the 7th century, and remain in almost perfect condition. Also of note, the Dubrovnik Summer Festival, which lasts for 45 days, begins on 10 July every year. The event is a celebration of the arts, featuring live music, dance acts, and theatre.

Jet2’s sister company, Jet2Holidays, is offering package deals for Faro and Dubrovnik, beginning at £299 for the Algarve resort, and from around £355 per person for the Croatian city.

From this month, Flybe will allow valid student card holders to carry up to 40kg (or two bags at the maximum weight allowed) on flights to and from a number of ‘off-shore’ destinations. The offer essentially affords young people twice the usual baggage allowance, at no additional cost.

People who choose to go to university in 2011 may find that the experience steals more money from their pockets than they had anticipated. While George Osborne’s tripling of tuition fees won’t come into play until 2012/13, the cost of higher education can still tear the hind legs from your piggy bank, reaching £3,375 for the 2011/12 academic year.

“We recognise that students are facing escalating costs”, explained Mike Rutter, commercial chief at Flybe. “(We) also appreciate the additional travel costs incurred by those living off the UK mainland.” Mr. Rutter says that students travelling from the Isle of Man, Jersey, Guernsey, and Northern Ireland, are eligible for the ‘buy one, get one free’ baggage deal.

Students who wish to participate in the promotion should purchase allowance for a single bag when booking their flight, then, simply turn up at their chosen airport with a student card and the additional luggage item. The bonus allowance will be granted at the check-in desk. Flybe does not indicate which student cards are accepted, but the offer (presumably) extends to holders of NUS or standard university membership cards.

Flybe, compared to Ryanair and easyJet, at least, has a rather eccentric route list, which favours British territories over ‘sun and sea’ spots on the continent.

Routes to the Channel Islands, the Shetlands, the Hebrides, and to smaller mainland airports, such as Norwich, make up many of the 40 domestic routes on Flybe’s schedules. It should come as no surprise then that Mike Rutter referred to Jersey, Guernsey, the Isle of Man, and Northern Ireland as “key” destinations for the airline. Flybe is ostensibly trying to bolster the appeal of the four routes, by reducing the overall cost of air travel.

At the beginning of 2010, a route from Belfast International (Aldergrove) to London Luton Airport was cancelled, following operator, easyJet’s, assumption that Irish travellers would prefer to fly to George Best Airport, otherwise known as Belfast City.

The reasoning behind the transfer was sound (City is much closer to the centre of Belfast), but the move made little sense from a financial point of view. EasyJet was supporting two bases within 20 miles of each other, one of which, Belfast City, had just one route on its schedules, namely the twice-daily service to Bedfordshire’s Luton Airport.

Almost eighteen months later, easyJet has abandoned the convenience of flights to City, for the security of its much larger base at Aldergrove. "Our other routes operate from Belfast International. We are now consolidating our overall operation by reinstating our Luton flights from there as well", explained Ali Gayward, commercial manager at easyJet.

The Luton route, which operates three times a day, will become easyJet’s eighth UK domestic route from Belfast International. The carrot-coloured airline also offers flights from Belfast to Stansted and Gatwick in the southeast, Glasgow and Edinburgh in Scotland, and the popular regional hubs, Liverpool, Newcastle, and Bristol.

EasyJet had previously said that its solitary flight from City could be supplemented with flights to other destinations. Whether that outlook will now be transferred to Belfast International is debatable, but not completely impossible, given Aldergrove’s emerging status as a provider of ‘sun and sea’ routes to Spain and Portugal.

Flights to Luton begin at £39.94, taxes included, for a one-way trip departing Belfast on June 7.

People who already felt marginalised by the ban on smoking in public areas may feel that Belfast Airport is out to get them, after the Irish hub began charging customers £1 for the use of a designated smoking area. The ‘light up’ zone, located beyond the security gates, has polarised public opinion, according to the Irish Times.

“It’s neither beautiful nor welcoming. There is no view and nowhere to sit”, explains the newspaper. “Only the levity of the smokers’ camaraderie, a sort of modern-day Dunkirk spirit, lifts the pall”. While the zone is perhaps undeserving of such a poetic description, one that wouldn’t look amiss in a Second World War diary, beneath grainy photos of deserted, war-torn beaches, the Irish Times’ narrative nonetheless highlights the purely functional nature of the smoking area.

Airport chief, Deborah Harris, intimated that the new zone was borne out of necessity, rather than simple luxury, and that the £1 levy was a means of recouping the cost of building the smoking area. Belfast rarely accommodates people who wish to return to the landside of the airport to have a cigarette, which meant that, prior to the construction of the new zone, customers with cravings were stuck with them until they reached their destination airport.

Reaction to the smoking area has been mixed, but Belfast bosses were quick to note that the zone had been in use for a fortnight before it hit the headlines, and much of the controversy surrounding the area has been created by sensationalist journalists. However, much like the £1 drop-off fee that gained popularity (and infamy) during 2010, the coin-operated door on the smoking area has upset some travellers: “it’s a disgrace, so it is”, said one anonymous holidaymaker.

Belfast Airport’s designated smoking area is located near the hub’s duty-free stores.

Belfast International (Aldergrove) could find itself struggling to compete against its rivals in 2011, after budget airline BMIbaby announced a plan to shift its entire operation to Belfast City Airport, much to the chagrin of head airline Flybe. BMIbaby said that City offered the airline a “more convenient location”.

The Aldergrove hub will lose 48 weekly flights as part of the exodus, in addition to the two lost in October, when Isle of Man airline Manx2 performed a similar disappearing act.

Flights from Manchester, Birmingham, Cardiff and East Midlands airports will be sent direct to City from January 1 2011.

Criticism of the move came from all directions, with Belfast City Airport Watch (BCAW), an anti-expansion pressure group, questioning whether a sudden hike in passenger numbers would breach a cap on aircraft flying from the airport.

However, as Edwin Poots, the Irish minister, removed the limit on flights from City earlier this month, BCAW can no longer raise a legal objection to a BMI-instigated rise in passenger numbers. Since then, the words ‘residents’ and ‘fury’ have featured in several newspaper articles pertaining to the decision.

Budget carrier Flybe was equally unimpressed. The airline, which is a resident of City, said that it would make a "calculated and robust" response to BMIbaby's relocation. Flybe began its retaliatory campaign by rubbishing claims by BMIbaby that the airline was moving to provide its passengers with more convenient services.

Mike Rutter, the boss at Flybe, told the Belfast Telegraph that “there has been a trend over the last few years for airport assets to be bought using debt finance,” adding that this "raises broader concerns for Northern Ireland’s aviation policy".

Whilst the loss of BMIbaby to City will certainly come as a blow to Aldergrove, bosses at the hub have been celebrating the arrival of a new airline, the largely unknown, Iceland Express. The North Atlantic carrier will begin running flights to Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland, from June 14 2011.

Questions are being asked of security officials at Belfast International Airport, after an improvised bomb was found in a car at the Aldergrove hub. The device, which consisted of a pipe bomb lashed to cans of “flammable liquid,” may have been sitting undiscovered in the airport’s long-stay car park for “almost a year,” according to the BBC News website.

Officials found the explosive when an attempt was made to remove the vehicle from the car park. The long-stay facility was closed to traffic between 14.30 on Saturday, to 02.00 on Sunday morning, while army bomb experts removed the device. The airport remained operational throughout the crisis, but inbound passengers who had parked in the long-stay area were forced to stay at a nearby hotel.

The bomb’s timer, which had been set to detonate the device shortly after the car was abandoned, had failed a long time ago. Pipe bombs are, as their name suggests, ordinary pipes filled with explosive substances. The device has transcended centuries, and was very popular with combatants during the Belfast Troubles, despite being extremely volatile.

In the early 2000s, for example, at least two members of the paramilitary group, the Ulster Defence Association, were killed when the pipe bombs they were trying to use against a Catholic region of Belfast exploded in their hands.

Police believe that militants may be responsible for the bomb found at Belfast International, citing ‘dissident republicans’ as possible culprits. Sinn Fein member, Mitchel McLaughlin, said that the implications of having a bomb in a public place for almost a year were “almost too horrible to imagine.” Q Park, the owner of the parking space, was “confident” that the explosive’s extended stay was an exaggeration, however.

Earlier this month, Belfast International was named ‘Best Airport’ at the annual Holiday Extras Customers’ Awards. The ceremony, which was held at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London, recognises the “best in travel”, from charismatic individuals to airport hotels and valet parking.

The UK’s larger airports, such as Heathrow and Edinburgh, were not successful in the Best Airport category, suggesting that size is not necessarily indicative of popularity. Newcastle International claimed the silver award, whilst the “spacious and airy” Robin Hood Airport walked away with a bronze trophy.

Holiday Extras claims that 25,000 people voted in the Customers’ Awards, choosing 36 winners in 12 different categories. Voters picked their favourites from 112 airlines, 28 UK airports and countless other travel firms.

Irish airline Aer Lingus defeated Virgin Atlantic and US giant Continental Airlines to take home the coveted ‘Best Airline’ accolade.

easyJet was crowned the airline with the best value for money, whilst Virgin managed to redeem itself in the ‘Best Airline Cabin Crew’ category, claiming gold.

Other awards included ‘Travel Personality of the Year,’ which was handed to TV presenter Julia Bradbury, the unusual ‘Best Airline for Travelling with Babies’ and ‘Best Hotel Restaurant.’

Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, Deborah Harris, Belfast International’s PR person, said that the airport was “delighted” with its Holiday Extras trophy and that “this award is in recognition of all the staff that work at the airport and give 110% every day to provide exceptional customer service to all our passengers".

Ryanair and UK flag-carrier British Airways were noticeably absent from the ceremony, as were Stansted Airport and regional hubs Birmingham and Manchester.

For a full list of winners, visit the awards page on the Holiday Extras official website.

Manx2, an airline that hails from Ballasalla on the Isle of Man, is to abandon its base at Belfast International Airport and move immediately next door, to Belfast City, otherwise known as George Best Airport.

Whilst such a minor change of scenery might seem like an enormous waste of time and money, the Manx2 airline claims that the move could “more than double” its business in Northern Ireland, despite City being almost half the size of Belfast International.

Belfast International will lose a flight to Galway and another to the Isle of Man when Manx2 jumps ship at the end of October 2010. Belfast City, on the other hand, will gain those routes lost by its neighbour, as well as a brand new route to Cork.

English airline, Flybe, will also add new routes at Belfast City Airport, to three exotic locations in Europe: Bristol, East Midlands Airport, and Liverpool.

Manx2’s transfer will no doubt come as a relief to City, which was left facing an uncertain future at the end of August, after budget airline, Ryanair, announced plans to withdraw all services from the Irish hub at the end of October.

Ryanair had taken umbrage with plans to delay the expansion of a runway at Belfast City, potentially stifling the development of its business in Ireland. Michael O’Leary, the airline’s owner, said, “We’re going to go, we're taking the plane, you'll lose the passengers, you'll lose the jobs.”

Noel Hayes, chief of Manx2, believes that Belfast City will be more popular with domestic customers. The Irish hub, Noel explains, has faster check-in facilities, and better access to the city centre.

However, Belfast International is still well positioned to compete with its local rival, with more than 20 airlines providing flights to Europe and beyond, including the Irish flag-carrier, Aer Lingus.

The recent introduction of drop-off levies at various airports throughout the UK has met with complaints from much of the travelling public.

This week, however, the introduction at Belfast International Airport of a £1 toll for those dropping off or picking up friends or relatives has provoked an accusation by Democratic Unionist Assembly Member, Jonathan Bell, that the charge may in fact be of dubious legality.

His case rests on the grounds of possible discrimination against the elderly, disabled and families with young children who are less able to stick to the 10-minute limit allowed in the new zone. Anyone staying longer than the ten minutes allowed by the levy runs the risk of being clamped and having to pay an £80 fee to have their vehicle released.

Mr Bell said that there could be great risks involved if people started dropping off outside the zone to avoid paying the fee. A public representative has said that he intends writing to the Equality Commission and the Children’s Commission.

The airport cites security issues following the Glasgow bombing three years ago as the main driver for the new provisions. It is expected that a staggering £2 million a year will be raised in revenue from the charge, equivalent to one third of the airport's profits last year.

It transpires, however, that for cash-strapped travellers there is a way round the fee. The Consumer Council has announced that there is a 10-minute grace period in the long-stay car park and has urged motorists to take advantage of this, criticising the airport authorities for not having brought this into the public domain earlier.

Isle of Man airline, Manx2, has unveiled a new route from Belfast International to the city of Galway in the Republic of Ireland. The airline claims that the connection will help boost commerce and tourism in the two cities, and open up the west of Ireland to the rest of the country.

Despite a week of relative calm in the aviation industry, parts of Ireland are still struggling to cope with the effects of the recent ash crisis. The country was besieged by Eyjafjoll’s lingering ash clouds earlier this month, forcing a nationwide flight ban on the 5th May, and causing significant disruption to the Republic’s airports on the following day.

Whilst the ash clouds have now moved into continental Europe, closing airports in Spain and Portugal, the extent of the damage caused by flight cancellations is still making itself known in the UK. The Irish Aviation Authority recently posted an €8m (£6.8m) loss for the weeks between the 15th April and the 10th May.

Manx2’s renewed commitment to Irish airports should go some way to repairing the country’s damaged aviation industry. The airline has added 32 flights to the city of Galway – 12 from Belfast, 6 from the Isle of Man, and 14 from Cork. Manx2 chief, Noel Hayes was optimistic about Ireland’s future –

‘We have enormous confidence in Ireland’s future prospects. The Galway route re-opens direct air links between Ireland's second and fifth largest cities, eliminating a five-hour road or rail journey.’ Belfast’s new route was launched last week by a ‘Manx cat,’ otherwise known as Mellissa Magee, a catsuit-clad model.

Tickets for the route can be purchased online, priced at £39 each way.

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