BA CONNECT has admitted defeat over its Belfast City to Birmingham service.

The wholly owned British Airways regional airline has announced that it was withdrawing services from August 21.

From this date, the airline will cease operating its four times daily service and passengers with bookings beyond this date will be offered either a full refund or booked on an alternative service.

The service has only been operating a matter of months but always was likely to face stiff competition to exist alongside the Flybe route from Belfast City to Birmingham and another alternative - the bmi baby service from Belfast International.

BA Connect says that its Belfast to Manchester service will continue operating as normal "offering the most frequent schedule on this route compared to any other carrier with 66 weekly services and excellent low fares starting from just £25 one-way including all taxes and charges."

Thhe announcement by BA Connect is part of a number of route network changes designed to address changing market conditions and improve the airline's overall profitability.

David Evans, BA Connect Managing Director said: "The decision to cease flying from Belfast to Birmingham has not been an easy one.

"Passenger numbers on the route have been extremely disappointing and despite our best efforts we see no prospect of passenger levels improving in the near future.

"We have to act in the best interests of the company and therefore have no option but to withdraw from this route and concentrate on developing our operation in other areas."

BA Connect, regarded as a low cost offshoot of British Airways, was launched in March this year and over one million passengers have travelled on its European and domestic services from UK regional airport.

Following the BA announcement, Flybe, the airline which has served this route for over 20 years, announced a 25 per cent increase in capacity on the route and the introduction of a seventh daily flight.

"Flybe continues to expand its services from Belfast and with the recent announcement of new routes to Doncaster, Sheffield and Galway starting in October, now offers passengers 14 direct destinations throughout the UK and Ireland.

"Our advice to BA Connect passengers that don't want to be stranded is simply book your flight with Flybe to avoid disappointment," said Flybe's Mike Rutter.