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Irish airline Ryanair is to launch a new service between City of Derry Airport and Manchester later this year.

The airline will be operating three weekly flights from Londonderry to Manchester starting in the winter.

Jason McGuinness, Commercial Director at Ryanair, said they were "delighted" to add the new route.

It follows an announcement in August that Ryanair was to end operations from Belfast City Airport in September and Belfast International in October.

It had only previously restarted flights at Belfast City Airport in May after an absence of 11 years.

Ryanair blamed the cost of operating at the Belfast airports, as well as the UK government's "refusal to suspend or reduce" air passenger duty (APD).

On Thursday, Mr McGuiness reiterated calls for the UK government to "scrap or suspend" APD to allow airlines to "quickly recover connectivity, jobs and tourism" during the Covid-19 pandemic.

"While Ryanair is committed to the UK and to Derry airport, the lack of government support continues to create barriers to boosting traffic and growth," he added.

Steve Frazer, managing director of the City of Derry Airport, said: "Over 260,00 people within 35 miles of our airport travel to Manchester every year and we haven't been serving the people here adequately on that route."

Mr Frazer said the airport is performing strongly "after a fantastic summer" and hopes increased air travel will also help bring economic growth to the surrounding area.