VIP'S from Air France, Cityjet and the George Best Belfast City Airport attended the launch of a new air route between Belfast and London City Airport.

The new three times daily service began on March 26, and is just one of eight new routes connecting London City with destinations in Switzerland, Spain, Italy, France and the UK.

Under the brand-name 'CityJet for Air France', the airline now serves Geneva, Madrid, Milan Linate, Nice and Zurich.

Brian Ambrose, Chief Executive of George Best Belfast City Airport said: "We're delighted with this new service and would like to welcome CityJet and London City to our expanding route portfolio.

"From summer 2007 the total number of scheduled destinations served from Belfast City Airport will be 23 including the recently announced routes to Rennes and Cardiff. Travellers now have now a choice of daily services to four different London airports."

Starting on March 26, the new route to and from George Best Belfast City Airport, takes the total number of destinations CityJet serve from London City to 10. It currently serves Paris Orly and Dublin.

CityJet Chief Executive Geoffrey O'Byrne-White said: "We are pleased to underline our commitment to London City where we have had a presence for many years while simultaneously pursuing our development with our revamped fleet."

CityJet, which operates three BAE Systems Avro RJ85ERs, 19 British Aerospace 146-200s and two 146-300s, is expanding its fleet with the addition of 23 ex-Mesaba Avro RJ85s. In total Air France-KLM and CityJet will operate 86 daily flights from London City.

Irish airline CityJet began operations between London City and Dublin in January 1994, under a franchise licence with Virgin Atlantic. Today, the airline, based at Dublin Airport, is a 100 per cent owned subsidiary of Air France and employs more than 600 staff.

Carrying one and a half million passengers a year, CityJet currently opeates eight franchise routes on behalf of Air France between Paris CDG and Dublin, London City, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Gothenburg, Zurich and Florence, Dublin to London City and Orly to London City.

A direct service from Belfast City to London City was operated by Flybe a few years ago, then became a service via the Isle of Man before being discontinued.