14th Nov 2013 09:31
LONDON (Alliance News) - Ryanair Holdings PLC Thursday said it would launch new services from Dublin airport, the final step in its promise to increase services in Ireland in the wake of a government decision to scrap a passenger tax.
Europe's biggest low-cost carrier said that from April, it will open nine new routes from Dublin, to Almeria, Bari, Basel, Bucharest, Chania, Comiso, Lisbon, Marrakesh and Prague, as well as increasing flights on eight other routes.
It said the new services will bring over 700,000 new Ryanair passengers a year through Dublin airport.
Last month, Ryanair announced plans to fly one million more passengers from Irish airports after the country's government said it would scrap a EUR3 a person travel tax, brought in during the financial crisis as the Irish Treasury sought to balance its books amid an international bailout.
It has already announced increased services from Knock and Shannon, although Cork and Kerry airports, which had also been invited to talks with Ryanair about potential service increases, have lost out.
The existing routes to get more services from Dublin are Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow, London Stansted, Madrid, Manchester and Nice. In total the carrier will fly 400 flights a week on these routes, up from 300 currently.
"A critical component of this growth will be 100 extra weekly flights into Dublin from Britain, which will reverse the recent tourism declines in UK visitors coming to Ireland," Ryanair Chief Executive Michael O'Leary said in a statement.
Ryanair shares were up 1.1% at EUR5.75 in London Thursday morning.
By Steve McGrath; [email protected]; @stevemcgrath1
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