The new 2,100 sq ft coffeehouse, in the main arrivals area, is the company’s first permanent site in a Northern Ireland airport.

Airport commercial director Katy Best said: “It is fantastic that Caffè Nero has committed to a permanent unit at Belfast City Airport, further enhancing the extensive food and beverage range currently available to passengers. Our passengers and meet-and-greeters have been asking for a land-side coffee unit and it is great that we have been able to deliver on this.”

Will Stratton-Morris, chief executive of Caffe Nero UK, the largest independent coffee house group in Europe, added: “We are seeing strong performances across all our airport sites, and with Belfast City Airport predicting passenger numbers will exceed pre-pandemic numbers in the coming years, it is an important site for us.

“We were founded in 1997 on a philosophy of delivering premium, award-winning Italian coffee, a warm and welcoming ambience, good food, and personal service to everyone that enters our doors.

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At present the facility is operating as a pop-up kiosk but a permanent unit will now open in the main concourse in Junel.

Will Stratton-Morris, chief executive of Caffe Nero UK, the largest independent coffee house group in Europe, said: “We were founded in 1997 on a philosophy of delivering premium, award-winning Italian coffee, a warm and welcoming ambience, good food, and personal service to everyone that enters our doors.

“These are values we share with Belfast City Airport, making it a fantastic addition to our airport portfolio, which already includes Heathrow, Edinburgh, and Manchester.

“We’re delighted to be working in partnership with Belfast City Airport as it strives to deliver an exceptional airport experience for its passengers and look forward to welcoming the first customer through our doors.”

The Belfast City Airport site will be the largest coffee outlet in the airport, replacing a Costa. Located in the main concourse for arrivals landside at the airport, the outlet is 2,100 sq ft and represents Caffè Nero’s first store in an airport in Northern Ireland.

Speaking after Belfast City Airport operations manager Judith Davis and Fiona McVeigh, area manager at Caffe Nero toasted the new arrival, the airport’s operations director Mark Beattie said: “At Belfast City Airport, we are passionate about delivering an airport experience that exceeds the expectations of our passengers.

“Caffè Nero will be located in the main concourse of the terminal offering food and beverages to passengers before they fly or after they land, and to friends and relatives arriving at the airport to pick up loved ones.”

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Flights from Belfast International Airport will end on October 30, while it is believed the airline will stop flights from the City on September 12.

Affected routes include Alicante, Barcelona (Girona), Gdansk, Krakow, London Stansted, Malaga, Malta, Manchester, Milan (Bergamo) and Warsaw from the International and Alicante, Barcelona, Faro, Malaga, and Palma de Mallorca Ibiza, Valencia, and Milan from the City.

Aviation analyst Sean Moulton was first to reveal the news, tweeting: “Ryanair appear to have removed all Belfast International flights from sale after October 30 2021.

“The airline is also expected to leave Belfast City on September 12 2021. If true, it will mean no Ryanair flights in Northern Ireland.”

‘Difficult period’

A spokesman for the International Airport said: “It is disappointing that Ryanair has now decided to withdraw operations from the entire Northern Ireland market at the end of October, having variously had a presence in all three local airports in recent years.

“It has been a difficult period for aviation and a time when consumers need some stability and faith in the Northern Ireland air transport network.”

However, the spokesman added that efforts were being made to cover the affected routes and secure jobs.

They said: “As we have been anticipating such a move, we have been engaging with our existing and other new airlines to provide continuity on the routes to be vacated by Ryanair, and to help sustain employment in the aviation industry at a local level in Northern Ireland.

“To this end, we hope to be able to make announcements regarding fresh route development in the near future.”

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George Best Belfast City Airport has officially opened its upgraded terminal facilities following a £15m infrastructure investment.

The significant upgrade of the departures lounge includes new retailers, enhanced bars and restaurants, additional seating and a new security search area which has reduced average queuing times to six minutes.

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