News Release
22.07.04
RYANAIR ANNOUNCES $240M INVESTMENT IN LUTON BASE
9 NEW EUROPEAN LOW FARE ROUTES WITH 250,000 SEATS FROM JUST £1 !
Ryanair, Europe’s No.1 low fares airline, today (22nd July 2004) announced a major expansion of its London Luton base with an investment of $240 M in 4 new Boeing 737-800 series aircraft and 9 NEW European routes from London Luton to:
BARCELONA (GIRONA) ESBJERG ROME
BARCELONA (REUS) MURCIA STOCKHOLM
DINARD NIMES VENICE
Ryanair, which began services at London Luton in 1986, already operates 14 daily international flights from Luton to Dublin and Milan, and this year will carry 1.6M passengers to/from Luton, saving consumers over £60M on high fares charged by Easyjet. This massive increase in routes, destinations and passenger numbers is also good news for the local economy too, because it will create and sustain over 1000 new jobs in the Luton area
Announcing this expansion of its Luton base today, Ryanair’s CEO Michael O’Leary said:
“Consumers using London Luton airport now have a real low fares airline offering fares that are half the price of Easyjet, serving 11 destinations throughout Europe and delivering unbeatable punctuality, and that’s Ryanair.
Our message to Easyjet is simple:
Easyjet can’t match Ryanair’s low fares
Easyjet can’t match Ryanair’s punctuality
These new routes, with fares from an incredible £1 (excl. taxes) are available for booking right now, at http://www.ryanair.com, Europe’s biggest travel website.”
RYANAIR EASYJET
PUNCTUALITY 2003* 81% 68%
AVERAGE FARE** €40 €62
*SOURCE – OFFICIAL CAA STATS FOR 2003
** ANNUAL PUBLISHED ACCOUNTS
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How dare they say that they are 50% cheaper when they have only one competitive route from Luton, which is Gerona, and even then easyjet flies to Barcelona!
Micael O’Leary, the most arrogant man on earth.
By: LBARULES - 22nd July 2004 at 20:53
Seems like Ryanair are preparing to move out of STN does it not?
Great news for LTN, a great week for the airport!
By: Papa Lima - 22nd July 2004 at 19:55
Shamrock, I have no particular axe to grind, but my post #2 shows how they fiddle the punctuality figures. I am happy to arrive home “early” after a Ryanair flight, but it’s only because the leg has been allowed excessive time in the first place. I might add that I travel with them frequently (no other choice!) so it’s not an occasional occurrence!
By: SHAMROCK321 - 22nd July 2004 at 19:43
What do you meen how dare they say they are cheaper.They are and no matter where they fly there punctuallity is better.You cant dispute it its official.
This ig going to be interesting.
By: markkipling - 22nd July 2004 at 15:49
I believe you are correct Mark L, BAA have begun court action against FR to recover what they describe as unpaid landing fees – what FR describes as overcharging. I think this can be taken as a warning shot fired in BAA’s direction – reduce your fees or we will go over to Luton. Some threat too as FR constitites around 60% of Stansted’s traffic.
By: Jeanske_SN - 22nd July 2004 at 15:39
I don’t think there will be a high competition at Luton. They only have one route the same, ane even then Ryanair flies to a further airport. Good news for Luton airport.
By: Mark L - 22nd July 2004 at 14:36
Think you will find this has more to do with the ongoing legal orblems with BAA at Stansted.
By: Bmused55 - 22nd July 2004 at 13:40
FR taking on EZY in earnest, at their home base.
Who’s gonna loose?
By: Hand87_5 - 22nd July 2004 at 13:00
It can’t be a coincidence that FR annunces the same week than EZ a major expansion at LTN 😀
By: Ren Frew - 22nd July 2004 at 12:09
How dare they say that they are 50% cheaper when they have only one competitive route from Luton, which is Gerona, and even then easyjet flies to Barcelona!
Micael O’Leary, the most arrogant man on earth.
I’ve met him and I think so, he tried to tell a seasoned news reporter I was working with what questions to ask him in an interview.
By: Jeanske_SN - 22nd July 2004 at 12:04
Maybe, plus also, they fly to airports that often have only one commercial aircraft being handled – theirs. For example, treviso, tampere, many airports in france, groningen,… The chance of delays by slot restrictions, slowly (un)loading of baggage, etc., is much lower than at the major airports easyjet flies to.
By: Papa Lima - 22nd July 2004 at 12:01
Ryanair punctuality in my experience is easily achieved, because the published flight time is much more than that usually required. I am frequently up to half an hour early at my destination when flying with them.
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July 22, 2004 at 11:57 am