Northern Ireland’s Belfast City Airport (BHD) is seeking permission from Belfast City Council to operate later evening flights and increase their annual flight limit, as part of their 2040 Master Plan. The process to approve this will require the airport’s initial planning agreement to be modified, which requires a successful public consultation and the approval of a new planning application from the council and Belfast planning authorities.
BHD Evolves: Here’s What’s New
Belfast City Airport is aiming to get Belfast City Council approval to extend their evening flights by an hour, operating flights until BST to 22:30 rather than the current 21:30. The airport is also seeking permission from Belfast City Council to increase their annual flight cap from 48,000 to 61,000 air traffic movements (ATM) a year, a 27% increase.
This comes after the airport announced its 2040 Master Plan expansion on Sep. 16,2025, and was initially approved by Belfast planning authorities. The plan aims to increase the airport’s traffic to serve 7 million passengers annually, build an air-rail service to link the airport with the city’s railway, and bring £200 million of investments.
Matthew Hall, chief executive at Belfast City Airport, told the BBC:
“The proposed changes would provide the operational flexibility required to facilitate airline schedules and future route development, while continuing to operate within a framework that recognises the importance of balancing growth with our commitment to being a responsible neighbour.”
BHD’s 2040 Master Plan
Belfast City Airport is one of Belfast’s two main airports, with the other and larger airport being Belfast International Airport (BFS). BHD started operating commercial flights in 1982.
BHD is currently seeking to implement its 2040 Master Plan, which was initially approved by Belfast City Council to increase the airport’s footfall and connect the city’s public transport to the airport. The airport mainly operates regional flights in the United Kingdom (UK), as well as limited international routes including Italy’s Verona and Bologna, as well as Spain’s Palma De Mallorca.
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