Ryanair increases airport fleet

The new Boeing 737-8200 represents an £87 million investment for the budget airline which will now have six jets based there from next summer.

Ryanair will now be running its biggest ever Birmingham summer schedule for 2023, operating 42 routes, including seven new routes including Girona in Spain and Pisa in Italy.

The Irish airline is supporting more than 1,700 jobs for the region, including 180 direct jobs. The new aircraft brings its investment in Birmingham to £520m.

Next summer Ryanair will have more than 350 weekly flights from Birmingham

The new new Boeing “Gamechanger” aircraft cuts fuel and carbon dioxide emissions by 16 per cent and lowers noise by 40 per cent.

To celebrate the record Birmingham summer schedule, Ryanair is launching a special seat sale with fares available from £24.99 for travel between April 1 and the end of Octonber, which must be booked by midnight on Friday, November 4 on ryanair.com

Ryanair chief executive Eddie Wilson, speaking at the airport, said: "This additional aircraft will enable Ryanair to operate this exciting 42-route schedule, becoming the leading airline at Birmingham airport.

"The rapid post-Covid growth Ryanair has delivered to Birmingham _ circa 50 per cent more routes than pre-Covid –has been secured by the airport’s management team, who recognised a long-term deal with Europe’s biggest and most reliable airline was the only way to drive recovery and growth."

Mr Wilson added: "However, if we are to continue to grow and to drive recovery and connectivity to the UK, Prime Minister Sunak must immediately scrap Air Passenger Duty in full for all travel (not just domestic travel) and provide incentives for airlines like Ryanair to stimulate growth and recovery for the UK and its regions, such as Birmingham.”

Nick Barton, chief executive of Birmingham Airport said: “We are so thrilled Ryanair is significantly expanding its Birmingham offering. Basing a sixth aircraft here will increase options for customers, create jobs and boost the West Midlands economy.”

The seven new 2023 routes also include Billund, Santander, Stockholm, Toulouse and Venice.

There will be increased frequencies on 10 routes, including Bergamo, Dublin, Madrid, Palma, Porto and Verona.

In October Ryanair saw passenger numbers rise by 38 per cent to 15.7 million. Flights were 94 per cent full on average.

There were 88,560 flights in October, with strong school mid-term bookings.

For the year to October numbers have risen 178 per cent to 157.4m.