Second airline to fly NI-Poland

Easyjet has announced a new route from NI

A second low-cost airline has announced the launch of direct flights between Northern Ireland and Poland.

Easyjet is to operate three weekly flights from Belfast International Airport to Krakow from 24 April 2007.

There are an estimated 30,000 Polish people living, working and studying in Northern Ireland.

Earlier this week, Wizz Air announced it was to begin flights between the Belfast airport and Warsaw and Katowice next year.

Easyjet said its announcement was part of a wider expansion of Belfast International Airport, which would be announced in the coming weeks.

Paul Cable of Easyjet said: "Northern Ireland is a very important market to Easyjet and we are looking forward to announcing more new routes and increased frequencies for summer 2007 in the coming weeks.

"There is a great demand for direct low-cost travel in Northern Ireland and Easyjet recognises the great potential for further development from the region."

The Wizz service will operate every other day. The Katowice route begins on 29 May next year and Warsaw on 28 July.

The Polish community is the largest single Eastern European grouping in Northern Ireland.