George Mathias
BUDGET airline Ryanair is expanding its summer routes in anticipation of a big increase in passenger numbers as the pandemic ends.
The airline, which is the largest in Europe by passenger numbers, is pushing ahead with further expansion as passenger numbers continue to rise.
The five new routes are:
Madrid/Faro
Barcelona/Poitiers
Valencia/Perpignan
Castellon/Brussels Charleroi
Girona/Rome Fiumicino
The company says that summer bookings are on track to eclipse its pre-pandemic peak.
Nonetheless, CEO Michael O’Leary has warned that the situation in Ukraine may increase prices.
The company also said it had seen a steep increase in demand for flights to Polish cities, as Ukrainians continue to flee the war torn country.
O’Leary remained upbeat about Ryanair’s prospects in 2022:
“I think you’re going to see families returning to the beaches of Europe this year, they went to the beaches of the west of Ireland and Cornwall last year, and I think they never want to go back there again,” he said.
The airline has announced 30 new routes for the summer season in total this year.
Some of the new destinations being opened include: Berlin, the East Midlands, Lanzarote, La Rochelle, Luxembourg, Madeira, Santiago de Compostela, Shannon, Tenerife South and Venice.
Ryanair commercial director Jason McGuinness said: “Efficient operations and competitive airport charges form the basis from which Ryanair can deliver long-term traffic growth and increased connectivity.”
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