Aer Lingus to launch flights from Shannon to Paris and Barcelona

Aer Lingus is set to announce the launch of new routes from Shannon Airport to Paris and Barcelona in a move that is expected to help return the Co Clare airport to growth next year. Aer Lingus plans to fly four times a week to Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris, and three times a week to Barcelona. The new routes will be unveiled by Aer Lingus executives at a ceremony in Shannon on Wednesday morning, and the new services will begin in Q1 next year. The route to Charles de Gaulle will offer passengers the opportunity to use Paris as a hub for onward flights to a wide range of long-haul destinations in Asia, South America and elsewhere. The service to Barcelona is likely to put Aer Lingus in competition with Ryanair, which offers a twice-weekly service to Barcelona Reus during summer. Aer Lingus already flies a number of routes from Shannon, including to London Heathrow, Edinburgh, Malaga, New York and Boston.<br/>