Direct flights between London City Airport and Belfast City Airport have resumed for the first time since February this year.
The five-times-a-week service is operated by BA CityFlyer, a subsidiary of British Airways.
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The London City-Belfast City is one of the routes that was suspended earlier this year following the collapse of Flybe.
Commenting on the resumption of flights, Northern Ireland Secretary of State Brandon Lewis said: “This is excellent news for Northern Ireland and the connectivity of the entire United Kingdom.
“It is crucial to the recovery of the economy that vital air passenger services to and from London and Belfast City Airport are maintained.”
Last year, the route registered a 14.7% year-on-year growth, making it the fasted growing for London City Airport.
Overall, around 210,936 passengers flew between the two airports in 2019.
London City Airport chief executive Robert Sinclair said: “The return of our Belfast City route is great news for passengers, businesses and both airports during what is a challenging time for everyone.
“The ability to quickly and easily get in to and out of the heart of two of the UK’s capital cities is only going to help the recovery.”
London City Airport suspended commercial and private flights in March due to Covid-19 pandemic.
The airport resumed operations on 21 June 2020 and restarted international flights in July.
A range of measures were implemented at the airport to ensure the safety of passengers and airport staff.
It includes an enhanced cleaning regime, the deployment of touch-free hand sanitiser stations, perspex screens at key interaction points and floor markings to help maintain social distancing protocols among others.
