Leo Hairy Camel has made some good points above about getting people to be more involved in Europe brought about by cheap transport with the low cost airlines.
For example, some of you will know I always try to champion Cork in the Airlines and Airport forum but in my youth I must reluctantly admit to also visiting Shannon Airport to watch the aeroplanes and especially the widebodies off to America and the freighters like Cargolux, Seaboard World etc stop off for fuel. You all know how it is with aeroplane spotters and you pilots may all have a good laugh about it now, no problem.
Times have moved on and now when the Cork spotters and enthusiasts take a trip somewhere it is more often than not by air to places like Manchester, Heathrow, Amsterdam, Luton via Stansted etc. Most of these trips are possible now even as a day trip ex Cork and it is the likes of Ryanair and not the likes of Aer Lingus, British Airways that brought this state of affairs about. If EI had their way we would now be paying at least 500 euro for a Cork to Heathrow basing that on 1970s and 1980s prices.
Ryanair bought another 70 737s last week and good luck to them too. That is another 300 plus pilot jobs. I think it is only a matter of time before they start paying for some type ratings again because I just cant see all that many new pilots around paying for ratings and at the same time being bonded. Market forces will surely dictate Ryanair's future and they sure aint doing much wrong with last week's announcement?