Aer Lingus is celebrating its first ever direct flight to San Francisco this month, which widens and spreads the routes to the West Coast, making getaways a simple single flight away. The new route shows Ireland’s commitment not only to the mild climes of California, but also the importance of San Francisco as a business destination. Customers will furthermore have sixteen popular cities on the West Coast?and beyond, including Seattle, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and San Diego. Speaking at the inaugural flight reception, Richard Bruton TD,?Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation said, ??This is a hugely significant day for enterprise and jobs in Ireland and I am delighted that Aer Lingus has made this commercial decision. A staggering 40% of foreign direct investment from the USA into Ireland comes from the Silicon Valley area, and the West Coast is also a hugely important market for Irish exporters.? Aer ?Lingus will operate five flights per week from Dublin to San Francisco as part of its significant transatlantic growth?plan in 2014 – and we’re delighted that San Fran is so much more obtainable and reachable.