Image copyright PA Image caption The airline will cease the five-times-a-week service from April

Northern Ireland is losing its direct air connection with Brussels.

Brussels Airlines began the service from George Best Belfast City Airport last March but said it would cease the five-times-a-week service soon.

The service is said to have been struggling. When it was launched, Invest NI said the route was "strategically important" for exporters.

The route was previously offered from Belfast International but had ceased.

In a statement, Brussels Airlines said: "We stop flying the route at the end of March, as it did not perform as we had anticipated.

"Passengers who had already been booked have been offered alternative options."

'Main drivers'

The airline said it reviewed its route network on a regular basis.

"Route results, route potential and optimal fleet utilization are, amongst others, some main drivers of these reviews," the airline added.

"In this context we have decided to suspend our Belfast-Brussels route from the summer season onwards.

"Passengers with reservations for flights from April onwards will be contacted. They will be offered refunds or alternative flight solutions."

This is a second blow for Northern Ireland air connectivity within a few months.

In January, the year-round direct flight between Belfast International and New York was ended by United Airlines.