Ryanair, the leading European low-cost airline, is stepping up its attack on the Spanish market with the establishment of two more operating bases in the country.
The Irish carrier, which has set up the broadest spread of operations across Europe of any airline, with 20 bases in eight countries, is finalising deals to open new ones in Valencia and Alicante.
These moves will intensify the fierce battle being waged in the Spanish aviation market, which has become the main focus for the expansion of low-cost carriers in Europe, after the UK and Germany.
The Valencia base will be Ryanair’s 22nd base. The company will invest EUR101.5 million to purchase two Boeing 737-800 which, come November, will serve nine new venues: Baden Baden (Germany), Basle (Switzerland), Billund (Denmark), Bologna (Italy), Eindhoven and Maastricht (Holland), Liverpool, Malta, Oporto (Portugal), Paris and Santiago de Campostela.
Ryanair chief Michael O’Leary said he hoped the airline would become, in four or five years, the second airline in Spain, after Iberia.
Grounding fleet in winter
Ryanair will ground aircraft during the winter months as it reduces capacity in response to weaker average fare levels.
Howard Millar, Ryanair chief financial officer and deputy chief executive, said the airline would keep a reduced fleet of 33 aircraft – down from 40 – at Stansted airport between November and February.
Other reductions would lead to a total capacity cut across the 146 aircraft fleet of close to seven per cent
Michael O’Leary, Ryanair’s chief executive, said the airline was cutting capacity in the winter partly in response to weaker average fare levels and partly because of the doubling of airport charges at Stansted and of air passenger duty in the UK.
Condemns Italy’s move to cut Rome flights
Mr O’Leary accused the Italian air transport authority last week of cutting flights to Rome’s smaller airport, Ciampino, in order to support Alitalia, the ailing national airline.
Enac, the Italian air transport authority, recently announced that the number of flights to and from Ciampino would be reduced and that some low-cost airlines would be moved to Rome’s bigger airport, Fiumicino.
Asked if Ryanair might have any interest in buying Italy’s loss making airline, Alitalia, Mr O’Leary said: “Alitalia? I would not want it if it were given to me as a present. Alitalia could have a future but only if it is free from political influence and union pressures.”