Ryanair starts new base and announces 9 new routes

Ryanair yesterday (17 June) started its twenty-fifth base in Birmingham. Ryanair also announced today that it will launch nine new routes - to Alicante, Derry, Fuerteventura, Katowice, Kaunas, Krakow, Palma, Malaga and Murcia - in October 2008.

Celebrating Ryanair's twenty-fifth base in Birmingham today, Ryanair's Bridget Dowling said: "There's a double celebration at Birmingham International Airport this week. We're celebrating the arrival of our first based aircraft here and we're also announcing a further nine new routes which go on sale today.

"With thirty-two low fare routes announced from Birmingham to date, people of the West Midlands no longer have to suffer BA high fares or their high fuel surcharges.

"By 2012, Ryanair will have aircraft based in Birmingham which will deliver 5M passengers p. a. sustaining 5,000 jobs. This will equate to £400m visitor spend for the West Midlands. While other airlines, like BA, are busy increasing fares and fuel surcharges, Ryanair is guaranteeing the lowest fares and no fuel surcharges.

"To celebrate the start of our new base and the announcement of nine new routes, Ryanair is offering 35,000 one-way seats from £5* on routes from Birmingham. This special offer must end Thursday midnight so we advise passengers to book their bargain seats today on ryanair.com."

Peter Vella, Birmingham Airport's Business Development Director, said: "We are delighted to be officially unveiling Birmingham Airport as Ryanair's twenty-fifth base as well as welcoming the announcement of these further nine scheduled routes from the airport.

"These new services will offer passengers travelling from their local airport even greater choice and flexibility, allowing them to travel from within their region - whether that be for leisure or business."

* one-way including taxes and charges