Low-cost giant Ryanair will base a ninth Boeing 737 MAX at Birmingham Airport this winter, a US$900 million investment that increases the carrier’s local traffic forecast by 21 per cent to four million passengers a year. The extra aircraft unlocks five new routes—to Copenhagen, Rome Fiumicino, Warsaw Modlin, Marrakesh and Tirana—and higher frequencies on seven existing services. Chief marketing officer Dara Brady used the announcement to renew Ryanair’s attack on Air Passenger Duty (APD), calling the UK’s current £15 short-haul levy “the highest in Europe” and urging the Labour government to scrap the tax. He also criticised air-traffic-control provider NATS after several technical failures this summer. From a mobility perspective, the new Copenhagen and Rome links improve same-day meeting options from the Midlands, while Tirana supports UK construction and energy firms ramping up activity in Albania. Ryanair’s aggressive schedule growth may also pressure legacy carriers on hub-connecting fares, potentially lowering overall travel costs for regional corporates. Travel buyers should note Ryanair’s standard cabin-bag policy, which continues to allow only a small under-seat item unless “Priority & 2 Cabin Bags” is purchased—a charge that can erode headline fare savings if not factored into budgets.
Source: Routesonline
