Monday, a time for beginnings (old and new)

Two things starting up on Monday. One new, and one being brought back.

The resurrection is of The News at Ten, with comeback kid Trevor McDonald hosting the ITN News at When every most weekday nights. Monday to Thursday it’ll be at ten, with Friday, Saturday and Sunday a moveable feast. Julie Etchingham and Mark Austin complete the regular presenting team.

They’re reviving the Big Ben imagery for the titles and backdrop … perhaps a reminder if one was needed of the London-centric nature of national news!

Update Tue 15 - Overnight viewing figures for the slot between 10pm and 10.25pm last night (which excludes the regional news) shows the news on BBC One with an audience of 4.9m versus ITV1's News at Ten with 4.1m.

In another surprise move, the put-the-kettle-on-for-supper ad-break has been removed from the middle of the News at Ten (one of the most lucrative ad spots) allowing the news to run uninterupted, only pausing for a break before the regional news.

And finally ... While Aer Lingus started flying out of Belfast International Airport back in December, they finally start up the three-times-a-day route to London Heathrow on Monday 14 January.

• Belfast International departures at 07:40 (landing 09:15), 12:50 (14:15), 17:25 (18:50).
• London Heathrow departures at 10:10 (landing at 11:30), 15:10 (16:30), 19:45 (21:10)

Not the best take-off slots in the world! But it might help bmi to pull their socks up – I’ve already noticed that bmi have dropped nearly £30 off their premium economy return “route deal” ticket offered to high volume enterprises through their travel management companies.

The Sunday Business Post this morning ran a story noting that only just over a third of seats are currently sold for the first month of Aer Lingus flights to Heathrow ... something that is likely to improve closer to departure dates given how late most of us leave it to book flights!