Aer Lingus’ new international flight route, dubbed a ‘bridge to Ireland’, will operate four times a week and offers UK passengers 12 further connections to the US via Dublin, from regional airports including Southampton and Liverpool. The Irish airline celebrated the inaugural flight from Dublin to Pittsburgh on Monday May 25, by lighting up of the Pittsburgh ‘Three Sisters’ bridges in Ireland’s green, white and orange colours. With over 446 bridges, Pittsburgh is known as the ‘City of Bridges’ and is located in the north-east of the United States in Pennsylvania.
Strengthening Dublin hub
The new route will be operated on an Airbus A321neo LR and passengers connecting via Dublin would benefit from completing US immigration and customs clearance before departure.
Reid Moody, Chief Strategy & Planning Officer, Aer Lingus said:
“Our new service to Pittsburgh brings Aer Lingus’ North American network to 24 routes from Ireland. This route strengthens our Dublin Hub and provides seamless connections between North America, Ireland, the UK and Europe, while supporting tourism, business and cultural links between Ireland and Pennsylvania.
90 years of flying
The airline also celebrated its 90th anniversary by unveiling a newly-restored rare de Havilland DH.84 Dragon aircraft, dubbed ‘Iolar’, which is Irish for eagle. The 1936 heritage aircraft is one of the last remaining of its type and was flown from Dublin to Bristol on May 27, to recreate Aer Lingus’ first flight, on the same date 90 years ago. Aer Lingus started with just one aircraft, one route and five passengers but now connects Ireland to over 100 destinations, with seven new routes announced for this summer.
Will you be making use of the new UK connection to Pittsburgh in the US? Let us know in the comments below…
