24th Oct 2013 09:44
LONDON (Alliance News) - Ryanair Holdings PLC Thursday revealed the first step in its planned expansion at Irish airports in the wake of the Irish government's decision to scrap a passenger tax, saying it will open eight new routes from Shannon airport in April.
Europe's largest low-cost carrier said it will start flying to Berlin, Faro, Fuerteventura, Krakow, Munich, Nice, Paris and Warsaw, and increase weekly flights to Stansted to 15, from 14, a move it hopes will see 300,000 more passengers fly from Shannon.
Earlier this 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, from April next year.
Ryanair invited the main Irish airports - Dublin, Cork, Shannon, Knock and Kerry - to meetings to finalize how potential extra Ryanair flights would be split between the airports. It said it remains in talks with the other four airports.
"Having met with all five of the main Irish airports, we hope to announce further new route and traffic growth plans over the coming weeks," Chief Operating Officer Michael Cawley in a statement.
The airline blames the travel tax for a decline in traffic at Ireland's main airports to 23.5 million in 2005, from 30.5 million in 2008.
Ryanair shares were down 1.4% at EUR6.36 in London Thursday morning.
By Steve McGrath; [email protected]; @stevemcgrath1
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