New base for Ryanair
October 31st, 2002:
RYANAIR ANNOUNCES A NEW BASE IN MILAN BERGAMO AIRPORT
AER RIANTA MONOPOLY COSTS IRELAND ANOTHER 2 MILLION PASSENGERS
Ryanair, Ireland’s largest international airline today unveiled details of its eighth new base at Milan Bergamo Airport. Speaking at a press conference in Milan, Ryanair’s Chief Executive, Michael O’Leary revealed that the airline would base three aircraft in Milan Bergamo Airport from the 6th of February next, and would operate over 30 daily flights to 6 international destinations (London, Paris, Brussels, Barcelona, Hamburg and Frankfurt) with fares that will start from as little as €9.99 one way.
Ryanair expects to carry over 2 million passengers to/from Milan Bergamo Airport in the first 12 months of operation of this new base, passenger numbers which will replicate Ryanair’s existing success in bases at Glasgow Prestwick, Brussels Charleroi and Frankfurt Hahn. These routes and these 2 million passengers are another direct loss to Ireland and Irish tourism as a result of the high costs and third world facilities provided by the Aer Rianta Dublin Airport monopoly.
Speaking at the press conference today, Michael O’Leary, Ryanair’s Chief Executive said:
“In September Ryanair wrote to Aer Rianta offering them these aircraft, this new traffic and this growth. Aer Rianta replied that they weren’t interested, and that they were not prepared to offer Ryanair the type of cost base that is available at new bases all over Europe. As a result of Aer Rianta’s inaction further damage has been inflicted on Irish tourism.
“Ryanair strongly supports the policy of the present Minister for Transport and the Irish Government to break up the Aer Rianta monopoly by introducing competing terminals at Dublin Airport, and by freeing Shannon and Cork from the dead hand of the Aer Rianta monopoly. I have little doubt that as soon as this monopoly is broken up, lower costs and better facilities will be offered to airlines and consumers. We urge the Minister to act quickly, before yet more routes and traffic are lost to Irish tourism by the high cost, inefficient Aer Rianta monopoly.