Dublin, Ireland
Aer Lingus Launching From Hartford Connecticut
Aer Lingus Spreads Its Wings
(March 1, 2016)
Aer Lingus, Ireland’s national airline, is expanding its presence in the United States with plans to open three new direct air routes between Dublin and Los Angeles, CA, Newark, NJ and Hartford, CT in 2016.
The Hartford service, which commences September 28, 2016 between Bradley International Airport and Dublin International Airport, is especially exciting news for New Englanders, since Hartford falls within a corridor between New York City and Boston with strong Irish-American communities and populations dating back to the 19th century.
Hartford, CT
Today, New England has the highest percentage of residents with Irish ancestry in the United States, according to the US Census Bureau.
Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy made the announcement with Aer Lingus CEO Stephen Kavanagh last fall.
US Congressman Richard Neal called the Aer Lingus flight “good news for the economy,” adding that it will boost tourism in New England and Ireland and also “have a strong business dimension as well.”
Airline officials said Aer Lingus will fly a B757 with 180 seats. Flights leave Bradley at 6:10 p.m. daily, arriving in Dublin at 5:20 a.m. the following day. Return flights leave Dublin at 2:20 p.m. and arrive in Hartford at 4:20 p.m.
St. Stephen's Green, Dublin
Since Aer Lingus travelers are pre-cleared in Dublin, they will not have to go through customs and immigration in Hartford, according to officials.
Kavanagh called Hartford “a significant commercial metropolitan area, with a significant population and very high per-capita income (without) direct service to Europe.” He said the service “will connect Hartford directly with our Dublin gateway and provide convenient connections to a wide range of British and European cities.”