AER Arann, the Dublin-based carrier that operates flights for Aer Lingus between Scotland and Ireland, is aiming to boost passenger numbers on those routes by 10% this year.
The company is upping the frequency of flights from Dublin to Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Glasgow under the Aer Lingus Regional franchise as it targets growing air traffic to 500,000 on Scottish flights by 2014.
The carrier's commitment to Scotland is part of a new strategy launched following a restructuring carried out late last year that allowed Aer Arann to exit examinership, the Irish term for administration.
Logistics giant Stobart Group took a 45% stake in its parent company, Everdeal Holdings, as part of the restructuring.
Since then the firm has extended its franchise deal with Aer Lingus until 2022, for which it operates all regional flights to the UK mainland, and signalled plans to invest £122 million in eight new aircraft.
Aer Arann has already taken delivery of one of the new ATR 72-600 aircraft, which has been operating the Edinburgh to Dublin route since May, and expects to have seven of the new fleet in operation by the end of then year.
The new strategy has also seen the company announce plans to add 50 new jobs based in Ireland, largely in pilot, crew and engineering roles.
It expects overall staff numbers to grow to between 360 and 370 by the middle of next year. Simon Fagan, chief commercial officer at Aer Arann, said: "We have come from a period we stood alone as a regional carrier and now have the backing and support of two large plcs, on one hand Aer Lingus with the franchise and Stobart on the other with the logistics expertise.
"It has allowed the company to have a solid financial footing.
"It is one of the success stories of examinership in that it has come out the far side and is now growing and adding jobs and expanding."
Aer Arann, whose six Scottish routes with Aer Lingus account for a third of its flying time, hopes its plans announced yesterday will grow its annual passenger numbers to half a million by 2014.
It is upping the frequency of its services to Scotland by adding three extra flights added to the Aberdeen route per week.
Four more weekly flights are being added to Glasgow, alongside and an extra daily flight serving Edinburgh.
Aer Arann also operates services to from Cork to Glasgow and Edinburgh, and from Shannon to Edinburgh, under the Aer Lingus franchise.
It also serves Bournemouth, Manchester, London Southend, Blackpool and the Isle of Man from Ireland, as well as Birmingham and Manchester in tandem with Aer Lingus mainline flights.
Mr Fagan said the company is ultimately aiming to connect all of the major cities in Ireland and the UK.
He added: "Aer Lingus are very keen for us to grow the regional network. Our business model is essentially link all the major cities in Ireland with all the major cities in the UK.
"We are well down the tracks of joining up the dots now at this stage." Mr Fagan added that part of the driver for enhancing the route frequency to Scotland is to facilitate onward travel to the US from Scottish airports that do not have direct links with the States, including Aberdeen.
Scottish passengers are now able to complete pre-clearance and customs services at Dublin Airport, where the company is now co-located with Aer Lingus at terminal two.
The company said Aer Arran service will potentially save travellers up to two hours on arrival in America.
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