AIR Belfast, which withdrew its service between Belfast International Airport and Stansted in March, has lost an appeal against a ruling by the Office of Fair Trading that rival company Jersey European Airlines did not act in a predatory manner.

The chief executive, Mr Brian Beal, said the company is now considering taking its case to Europe.

JEA, he said, competed directly by operating from Belfast International. "We were forced reluctantly to withdraw our service.

The failure of Air Belfast to sustain services on the route was also due to the fall in passenger numbers which followed the IRA docklands bomb in February.