PIT Hosts Aer Lingus Team as Part of Parade Celebration

Call it a rowdy pre-celebration of Pittsburgh International Airport’s upcoming launch of nonstop service to Dublin, Ireland.

From the crowning of Miss Smiling Irish Eyes to a raucous parade, members of Aer Lingus leadership participated in all things Pittsburgh-Irish as part of the region’s St. Patrick’s Day celebrations.

“Being part of the Pittsburgh community on the day that is the biggest tribute to all things Irish ahead of our inaugural flight in May was incredibly special,” said Lisa Melarkey, Director of Marketing for Aer Lingus. “The crowd and atmosphere was electric! We’re very excited to be part of the celebrations for many years to come.”

As a parade sponsor, Melarkey and several other airline staff, including flight crew, marched with more than 70 Allegheny County Airport Authority representatives in Saturday’s parade, which drew thousands to Downtown and across the city to celebrate all things green.

Aer Lingus flight attendants pose with Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato and Pittsburgh Mayor Corey O’Connor before the start of the city’s St. Patrick’s Day parade on March 14, 2026. (Photo by Bob Kerlik)

Aer Lingus will launch nonstop service to Dublin on May 25, giving Western Pennsylvania residents and businesses nonstop access to the Emerald Isle for the first time ever. The airline begins its year-round service with four-times-weekly flights on the 184-seat Airbus A321LR aircraft.

“There’s no better time to host our partners from Aer Lingus than St. Patrick’s Day weekend to show off the region’s enthusiasm for Ireland,” said Joe Rotterdam, PIT’s Director of Air Service Development. “This flight opens up another gateway to Europe for both business and leisure travelers alike. We know the connections between the Pittsburgh region and Ireland are strong and this is another example of that.”

This route addition is building on long-term ties between Pittsburgh and Ireland. One of the NFL’s premier teams with followers around the globe, the Pittsburgh Steelers were selected to play the first-ever NFL regular-season game in Dublin in September 2025 in part because the Rooney family, which has owned the team since its founding in 1933, has deep connections to Ireland. The Rooneys trace their ancestry to Newry in Northern Ireland and the late Steelers Chairman Dan Rooney Sr. co-founded The Ireland Funds, a philanthropic organization promoting peace and reconciliation, and served as the U.S. Ambassador to Ireland from 2009 to 2012.

The Steelers game in Dublin this September bolstered and highlighted the relationship between the regions, but the roots go much deeper. Several major Pittsburgh-based companies have operations in Ireland, including: UPMC, PPG Industries, BNY, MSA Safety, and Eaton, among others.

Aer Lingus joins British Airways, which offers service to London Heathrow, and Icelandair, which offers service to Reykjavik, as carriers offering nonstop service to Europe. All three carriers offer connections to other parts of Europe and beyond.

In celebration of St. Patrick’s Day, Aer Lingus is offering a sale that ends March 19.