Aer Lingus is celebrating two years of flying direct from Manchester Airport across the Atlantic, having flown up to half a million passengers since it launched services in October 2021.

The direct flights were introduced by the Irish carrier in response to increased customer demand and over the last two years have increased in capacity as Aer Lingus has captured more of the market.

Those travelling from Greater Manchester and the North of England have benefitted from a great selection of fares, destinations and an attractive onboard product.

This has seen Aer Lingus increase seat capacity by 63,000 additional seats in April of this year, by switching the single aisle A321LR to a second widebody Airbus A330 on its Manchester fleet. When Aer Lingus first began operations from Manchester, it did so operating with a single A330 and one Airbus A321LR.

The two A330 aircraft serve direct daily flights to New York’s JFK and operate four times a week to Orlando, Florida from the end of October. The carrier’s winter schedule will be boosted by the return of Caribbean flights direct to Barbados, with the seasonal service starting on 1 November, operating three times a week.

The success of Aer Lingus’ Manchester based long-haul operations has contributed towards its ambitious network expansion to North American destinations, offering yet more choice to its customers.

In August, the airline announced a new direct service to Denver, Colorado and revealed the re-launch of the Minneapolis-St. Paul route from Dublin as part of its summer 2024 programme.

Flights to Minneapolis-St Paul launch on April 29, 2024, increasing from four-times weekly to a daily year-round service from next October, served by the carrier’s newest aircraft, the A321XLR from Winter 2024. Flights to Denver from Dublin will also operate four times a week, starting from May 17, 2024.

Customers travelling with Aer Lingus can expect a warm and friendly Irish welcome on the airline’s three direct transatlantic services from Manchester, as well as enjoying in-flight dining and free access to a world of entertainment, thanks to its state-of-the-art inflight entertainment service.