Ryanair celebrates 35 years at Birmingham with more aircraft

The Irish budget airline is celebrating 35 years of flying from the airport.

It has announced its biggest ever Birmingham winter schedule, with an additional aircraft for 2022-23 and five new routes to Billund, Grenoble, Santander, Stockholm and Toulouse.

Ryanair’s Birmingham-based fleet will increase to five – two of which will be new Boeing 737 8-200 'Gamechanger' aircraft, which deliver four per cent more seats, burn 16 per cent less fuel, and creates 40 per cent less noise.

The airline's investment of more than £400 million at Birmingham will support 150 highly paid aviation jobs and over 1,850 indirect jobs in the local area.

The winter schedule will offer 34 routes in total and more than 280 flights a week

Ryanair is operating a full schedule this summer across the UK and continues to invest and grow its network.

Director of route development, Ray Kelliher, speaking at the airport, said: “Ryanair is delighted to announce further growth and investment at our Birmingham base this winter, with our fifth based aircraft, five exciting new routes and two brand new environmentally efficient Boeing 8-200 'Gamechanger' aircraft as we celebrate 35 years of successful operations at Birmingham Airport."

Lower aviation taxes and competitive airport charges provided the foundation for which Ryanair can deliver long-term traffic growth and increased connectivity, he added.

"At a time when other airlines across the UK are cancelling flights and reducing their schedules, we’re delighted to make this further investment in Birmingham largely thanks to the hard work and support of the airport," added Mr Kelliher.

"If the UK Government wants to see more investments from Ryanair and other airlines next summer, they must scrap the APD tax for all flights, or otherwise put the UK - an island-based economy - at risk of losing air traffic to competing European countries.

"To celebrate today’s announcement and our 35th birthday at Birmingham, we are launching a seat sale with fares available from £19.99 for travel from October until March, which must be booked by Friday, July 1."

Birmingham Airport chief executive Nick Barton said: “We are thrilled Ryanair is adding to its BHX-based fleet of aircraft as we toast 35 years of its operation here. This long-term move will give customers greater choice and boost economic growth in our region.”