Ryanair to offer new winter routes from Stansted
Ryanair will launch eight new routes from Stansted and increase frequency on 36 existing services from the airport this winter.
From October it will serve 109 destinations in total from Stansted, with new flights to Athens, Basel, Bordeaux, Bucharest, Perpignan, Prague, Rabat and Skelleftea.
Its flights will increase from 490 a week to more than 700.
Only a year ago, Ryanair announced plans to cut its traffic from Stansted by 9% due to a 6% increase in charges, which was imposed by previous owner BAA shortly prior to Manchester Airport Group completing its purchase of the airport.
Since it acquired Stansted, Ryanair has reached an agreement with M.A.G to grow traffic from the airport to more than 20 million passengers a year within 10 years in return for lower costs and more efficient facilities.
The airline said that as a result of its expanded schedule this winter it will carry 15.1 million passengers this year.
Nevertheless, Ryanair was furious at a decision taken by Civil Aviation Authority in January to deregulate the airport from next month, claiming it would lead to higher charges.
Commenting on the news that Ryanair will add flights for this winter, Stansted managing director Andrew Harrison said: ""M.A.G acquired Stansted to unlock its full potential and return the airport to sustained growth.
"We’re making excellent progress with our £80million investment to transform the terminal building and the new security search area – double the size of the previous – is already open for business and work is now underway to transform services and facilities for passengers in the departure lounge.
"Ryanair passengers are already benefiting from customer service improvements including second free bag and allocated seating with more changes to come.
"Ryanair is changing, Stansted is changing and yesterday’s announcement is further evidence that we are succeeding in transforming Stansted under our new ownership."
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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