Ryanair still loading schedule

A Sentinel reader got in touch after contacting the airport last Thursday about the prospect of booking a flight on what was the first international route from the Londonderry airport when it opened in summer 2009.

He receive a reply by email from the airport's information desk stating: "Unfortunately, at the moment the Ryanair Alicante service will not operate from City of Derry Airport in 2011. However, there are always ongoing negotiations to create new routes therefore I suggest that you continue to check City of Derry Airport and Ryanair websites for updates."

Last week the Sentinel contacted Ryanair over speculation about the potential scrapping of the route. The paper was told there are: "no changes planned to that seasonal route."

Following last Thursday's development we again contacted the airline and were told the position remained the same.

A spokesman said Ryanair is presently loading - putting flights on live sale - its huge summer schedule, which consists of 1,400 flights across Europe - and that the City of Derry - Alicante route had not been listed as "discontinued."

The spokesman said it would be some weeks before the entire summer schedule was loaded.

A spokesperson for City of Derry Airport concurred with this and said the deskmail email was incorrect and appropriate changes were currently being made to the system.

The spokesperson explained that the Alicante route is a summer season service only and does not operate over the winter months. It was a successful service for the city and region. Discussions are continuing with Ryanair with regard to finalizing dates and times for the 2011 Summer Schedule.

Two years ago it was revealed flights to Ryanair's Spanish hub would begin operating twice weekly from Londonderry,

Ryanair estimated the value of the new route at 45 million (n49.9 million) in tourism revenues and said 480 local jobs would be safeguarded.