THE Province is to have its first scheduled service to Florida when rapidly-expanding airline flyglobespan launch a weekly flight from Belfast to Orlando Sanford in November with prices starting at only £149 per sector including taxes.

This will be the first Belfast route from the web-based airline which already operates from Glasgow, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Manchester, Aberdeen, Durham Tees Valley and London Stansted.

After building up a wide-ranging, short-haul programme to most of EuropeÂ's traditional holiday resorts, the company have recently been moving into the long-haul market and introduced the UKÂ's first-ever direct daily budget flights to Florida with the launch of a daily GlasgowÂ-Orlando Sanford flight recently.

Later this year, the airline starts a Manchester-Cape Town service. They will also be flying daily from Liverpool to New York (Newark) from next May and have promised more transatlantic activity in the near future.

The launch of the Belfast-Sanford flight is part of a much expanded programme as the airline continues to grow and increase its UK footprint.

The company will use an ultra modern Boeing 767 300 on the route Â- offering three grades of travel. Prices in the Economy No Frills section will start from only £149 per sector including taxes. For Premier Economy prices begin at £209 per sector including taxes, while Business Class starts at £399 including taxes.

As with all their services, the flyglobespan website offers travellers flexibility of duration along with the option of adding a wide range of accommodation and car hire. The service commences on Tuesday, November 7 and all flights and accommodation offers are available on the airlineÂ's website www.flyglobespan.com

The new service will give Irish holidaymakers low cost and convenient access to one of the worldÂ's top family holiday destinations.

The attraction of the Disney resorts and other family-friendly theme parks tempt more and more UK visitors to Florida each year. Now, for the first time, Northern Ireland travellers have the benefit of a scheduled service to the sunshine state Â- at great prices.

FlyglobespanÂ's parent company the Globespan Group has been flying across the Atlantic to Canada for over 30 years and chairman Tom Dalrymple says that experience will be hugely beneficially in ensuring the company caters for all needs on their Belfast-Orlando service.

Â"Florida is now such a significant part of the UK holiday market that we decided to fly daily from Glasgow this year. Response has been so good that we are committed to repeating that next summer and will also offer it during the winter on certain days.

Â"That gives us the opportunity to run a Belfast flight once a week and test the flyglobespan model in a new market. If it works as well in Belfast as it has across the rest of the UK, then I am sure we will be back for more.

Â"We know from our Canadian experience that holidays to North America are a different market.

Â"Seat price is hugely important Â- and I am pleased we are able to keep our fares so low. But it is a long journey and some passengers are happy to pay extra for some added comfort which is why we will have three fare bands on the Florida flight.Â"

The Economy No Frills cabin accommodates 160 passengers with a minimum 30Â" seat pitch. A wide range of meals, snacks and refreshments will be offered for sale on board. The Premier Economy cabin will offer 60 passengers a 34Â" seat pitch with complimentary meals, drinks and in-flight entertainment.

Business Class will offer 24 sleeper seats with 50Â" seat pitch and full in-flight entertainment, dedicated priority check-in and the use of an airport lounge. Champagne will be offered prior to departure and during the flight will enjoy gourmet meals served with fine wines.