Ryanair invests £175m in major Manchester base
IRISH carrier Ryanair is planning to put two million passengers a year through Manchester Airport after unveiling a £175m investment in a string of new routes.
The carrier said its commitment to fly to 26 destinations by next year – up from six – will sustain 2,000 jobs at the airport. The airline will directly employ 250 people including pilots, cabin crew and auxiliary staff when the new routes when all 24 routes are operational next Summer, although O’Leary said this could rise to 450 by the following year, when he said the number of routes operated could grow to 40.
Appearing at a press conference at Manchester Airport, wearing a Manchester City shirt, chief executive Michael O’Leary said: “Ryanair is delighted to unveil Manchester as our 45th base with 26 routes.
“Now Manchester consumers/visitors can beat the recession and escape easyjet’s and Jet2’s high fares by switching to Ryanair’s lowest fares and our no fuel surcharge guarantee to 26 exciting destinations in Italy, Germany and Spain among others.
“Ryanair’s two million passengers per annum will sustain up to 2,000 jobs at Manchester Airport and in the surrounding region.”
The airline will fly to: Alicante, Girona, Bezier, Biarritz, Bremen, Brussels, Dublin, Faro, Frankfurt, Ibiza, Katowice, Madrid, Malaga, Memmingen, Milan, Murcia, Oslo, Palma, Paris, Reus, Rome, Rzeszow, Tallinn, Tours, Tenerife, Valencia.
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.
O’Leary described the announcement as “terriffic news for Manchester and the local economy”.
Ryanair has been flying from Dublin to Manchester for around 15 years, but a spat between Ryanair and airport’s former management two years ago led to the airline withdrawing all but its Dublin route.
“They announced at the time that they weren’t in the prostitution business,” O’Leary said today. “I’m glad to say that sexual activity between Ryanair and Manchester Airport has recommenced. I’m sure it will be very productive and fruitful for both parties.”
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.
