Ryanair to reveal Manchester growth plans

MANCHESTER Airport’s strategy of driving growth by wooing budget airlines will receive a further boost today when Irish carrier Ryanair reveals expansion plans.

The Dublin-based carrier’s colourful boss Michael O’Leary is hosting a press conference this morning where he will unveil new routes and reveal that aircraft will be based at Manchester.

The new routes are likely to be Barcelona, Brussels and several German destinations. A spokesman for Ryanair refused to confirm details ahead of the announcement stating only: “The news today is all about expansion. It will be great news for Manchester and great news for Manchester Airport.” 

Ryanair, which last month carried 7.33 million passengers, an increase of 9% on June 2010, is rebuilding its relationship with Manchester Airport after a row over landing fees saw it axe all but one service in 2009.

In January O’Leary announced new services to Alicante, Faro, Tenerife and Madrid and increased the frequency of its Dublin service from four to six flights per day. It said this would bring in 600,000 passengers and create 300 jobs.

Today’s expansion is likely to create further jobs as the number of routes increases to nearly 20 over the next 12 months. At least one aircraft will be based at Manchester from this autumn – the first time Ryanair has had a base at the airport.

In February this year Manchester Airports Group chief executive Charlie Cornish told TheBusinessDesk.com that he intended to use budget carriers like easyJet and Ryanair to drive passenger growth.

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