Edinburgh and Manchester get new flights to Sardinia
[October 22nd 2008]
Low cost airline Ryanair is opening two new bases on the Italian island of Sardinia and will launch flights from Manchester and Edinburgh airports to Sardinia next year.
The new bases on Sardinia will be at Alghero and Cagliari, opening in March 2009.Tthey will create 8 new domestic and 11 new international routes, including the flights to and from Edinburgh and Manchester.
A brand new Boeing 737-800 will be based at Alghero operating 18 routes to and from the city in northern Sardinia and carrying an estimated 1.2 million passengers a year.
At the Sardinian capital of Cagliari, two Ryanair planes will operate on 19 routes and carry a projected 1.3 million passengers a year.
The new bases at Alghero and Cagliari will give Ryanair a total of seven bases in Italy, confirming the growing importance of the country to the budget airline’s expansion plans.
“Italy is now Ryanair’s second largest market after the UK. At a time when Alitalia and Air One are merging, increasing fares and raising unjustified fuel surcharges, the conditions for more Ryanair low fare growth in Italy have never been better. Ryanair is already the No.1 international airline in Italy, carrying more international passengers to/from Italy than Alitalia,” claims Ryanair chief executive, Michael O’Leary.
In addition to the new bases on Sardinia, Ryanair is also increasing frequency to five return flights a day on its Rome to Milan route from November 24th and adding new flights from Rome to Trapani in Sicily from December 4th.
“This investment in two new bases in Italy, with additional domestic routes and frequencies from our Rome Ciampino base, means that Ryanair will continue to grow its domestic operations in Italy, in a market where Italian consumers have been ripped off for many years by Alitalia’s high fares, fuel surcharges and strike ridden services,” says the outspoken O’Leary.
As well as Manchester and Edinburgh, other cities in Europe getting new flights to Sardinia include Paris, Marseille, Seville, Brussels, Genoa, Oslo, Venice and Verona.
Written by: Nick Purdom
Relax the night before or after your flight at a great value Airport Hotel from Holiday Extras
Related News Articles
Clocks go back October | Clocks change Autumn 2011 - 26/10/2011
Pull the curtains, grab a blanket and get cosy, on Sunday October 30 2011 it's time to put your clocks back.Summer holiday bargains | Travellers wait to grab last minute deals - 15/08/2011
UK holiday-makers are holding out for last minute travel bargains this summer, and nabbing some great deals.Glasgow Airport Roadworks - 15/08/2011
Allow more time when travelling to and from Glasgow Airport. Roadworks are expected to cause delays until May 5th.
