Ryanair announces 34th base at Leeds Bradford

Ryanair today announced it would open its 34th base at Leeds Bradford in March 2010 with two based aircraft and 14 new routes (17 in total) being launched.

Ryanair will offer 63 weekly return flights to/from Leeds Bradford in an investment worth over $140 million in the airport.

Ryanair’s 14 new routes from Leeds Bradford to Carcassonne, Faro, Ibiza, Knock, Krakow, Limoges, Malaga, Malta, Montpellier, Murcia, Nantes, Palma, Pisa and Venice Treviso will increase Ryanair’s traffic at Leeds Bradford to 1 million passengers p.a. which will create and sustain 1,000 well paid local jobs in Yorkshire.

Ryanair celebrated its new Leeds Bradford base, two new aircraft, 17 routes and 1 million passengers by releasing 1 million £5 seats for travel across its European network for travel in October and November which are available for booking on ryanair.com until midnight Thursday (13th August).

In Leeds Bradford today, Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary said:

“Ryanair is delighted to announce Leeds Bradford as our 34th base and our 11th UK base airport. These 14 new routes from Leeds Bradford go on sale tomorrow. With a total of 17 low fare routes from Leeds Bradford next summer passengers can beat the recession by choosing Ryanair’s guaranteed lowest fares and no fuel surcharges to 17 exciting destinations all over Europe including France, Italy and Spain among others. Ryanair’s 1 million passengers will create and sustain 1,000 jobs locally at Leeds Bradford Airport.”

John Parkin, LBIA Chief Executive, said:

“This is a great vote of confidence in the potential of both the airport and our region from Europe's largest airline. Today's announcement makes us an exception in the sector and will help create much needed jobs. It shows Ryanair shares our confidence in20the tremendous opportunity for strong market growth at the airport. Significantly it follows recent planning approval for the terminal development to deliver best in class facilities and build upon existing routes”.