Ryanair court victory leads to two new bases in France
Ryanair is to open two new bases in France after winning the latest round in a long-running legal battle with the French authorities.
It will base two aircraft at both Bordeaux and Marseille (above) for summer 2019, during which it will offer a total of 27 new routes to 12 countries, carrying up to 3.5 million passengers.
The airline announced last week that it was planning to expand in France after the French Supreme Court ruled in its favour in an employment dispute.
From Bordeaux it will launch flights to 16 destinations, including Manchester. It will also fly to Manchester from Marseille, from where it will offer 10 more new routes.
Ryanair said the new bases represented a total investment of €400 million.
Chief commercial officer David O’Brien said: "Our growth will deliver 1.1 million customers a year at Bordeaux Airport and 2.4 million customers at Marseille Aiport, while creating 120 Ryanair jobs across both bases and supporting over 2,500 ancillary jobs in the regions."
Chairman of the executive board of Bordeaux-M-©rignac Airport, Pascal Personne said: "Ryanair’s decision to base two aircraft at Bordeaux Airport is excellent news for the airport and for our region. This new base will undeniably increase the attractiveness of New Aquitaine and represents the opportunity to develop a large number of new destinations.
"We have been actively working with Ryanair since 2009 and we believe that Ryanair’s potential for growth with the commercial power we know they have, is very important for Bordeaux and is a sign of a long-term commitment."
Philippe Bernand, chairman of the executive board of Marseille Provence Airport, said:
"We are very pleased with Ryanair’s decision to accelerate its development in Marseille by opening a new base and offering 11 new destinations. It is an essential and historical partner of our airport, and more generally of our territory, from a tourist and economic point of view. "
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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