 Services from Belfast International commenced in December 2007. , the airline had three Airbus A320 aircraft based at the airport, serving eleven European destinations.Significantly, this move restored the Belfast International to London Heathrow Airport link and Aer Lingus cooperated with its codeshare partner British Airways on this route to connect with BA's network at Heathrow.To do so, the airline discontinued its Shannon-Heathrow service, a move that generated political controversy in the west of Ireland, particularly as the Shannon-London route was still profitable.