After a two and half year absence, direct air links between the Grand Duchy and Ireland will be restored next spring. Luxair will restart services between Findel airport and Dublin on March 30, 2014, Luxembourg’s national airline has announced.

Luxair had dropped the Irish capital from its network in October 2011 after posting an €11.1 million operating loss in 2010.

The carrier will offer four weekly non-stop flights on a Bombardier Q400, a notably larger plane than Luxair had previously used to serve Dublin, the company said in a press statement on Friday afternoon.

The airline said the flights are “meant for business travellers, notably for those working for the financial sector, as well as for tourists willing to explore the Dublin charms. It also will ease the arrival of Irish people wishing to discover Luxembourg.”

Latest new flight added from Findel

The announcement follows the expansion of Luxair services in recent months. Last month it launched service to Copenhagen, which has already seen “a very good load factor”. On this route, it faces competition with Scandinavian Airlines, which offers onward connections to several cities across the Nordic region.

In April Luxair added a fifth daily nonstop flight to London City airport, where it faces CityJet, as well as British Airways service to Heathrow and easyJet flights to Gatwick airports near London.

Last September Luxair added a third daily flight to Milan Mapensa airport. Since March it has competed with easyJet on this route.

Luxair’s Dublin service will operate until at least October 2014, although the company has not indicated if the flights will continue afterwards.

The airline began taking reservations online on Monday morning. Delano found round trip fares for €147 per person including tax on Luxair’s website for a week-long stay in April.