US$600M INVESTMENT, 24% GROWTH, 6 NEW ROUTES

Ryanair, the UK’s No.1 low fares airline, today (Thurs, 24 Sept) announced a sixth based aircraft at Liverpool John Lennon Airport for Winter 2026, representing a US$600m investment from Ryanair in the Northwest. This additional aircraft will deliver +100,000 additional seats (+11% growth), 6 exciting new routes to Milan Bergamo, Copenhagen, Gdansk, Porto, Tirana and Warsaw, and extra flights on 3 popular existing routes to Krakow, Kaunas and Cork. Ryanair’s record Winter 2026 schedule offers customers in Liverpool and the Northwest even more choice at Europe’s lowest fares whilst also supporting over 2,130 local jobs.

Ryanair’s Liverpool Winter 2026 schedule will deliver:

• 27 routes, incl. 6 new routes to Milan Bergamo, Copenhagen, Gdansk, Porto, Tirana and Warsaw
• 6 based aircraft (+1 vs. S25 – US$600m investment in Liverpool)
• Increased freq. on 3 routes
• 1m seats incl. +100,000 (+11%) additional seats
• Liverpool traffic grows to over 2.6m passengers p.a. (24%)

To celebrate Ryanair’s sixth aircraft and 6 new routes at Liverpool in Winter 2026, the airline has launched a limited time seat sale with fares from £29.99 available only at Ryanair.com.

Ryanair’s CMO, Dara Brady, said:

“We are delighted to be in Liverpool today to celebrate more Ryanair investment and continued growth for the Northwest, with the announcement of a sixth Ryanair aircraft at Liverpool for Winter 2026 as well as 6 new routes to Milan Bergamo, Copenhagen, Gdansk, Porto, Tirana and Warsaw. Ryanair will also add extra flights on existing popular city break routes, like Krakow, Kaunas and Cork, driving 2026 traffic above 2.6m passengers p.a.

Ryanair’s continued investment and growth at Liverpool (US$600m) will deliver more than 1m low-fare seats to 27 European destinations, offering customers in the Northwest more choice at the lowest fares in Europe, while simultaneously driving inbound tourism. While Ryanair is growing at Liverpool, other regional airports across the UK are being hamstrung by the idiotic decision to increase APD. If the UK Govt is serious about delivering growth, they should abolish this penal and damaging APD tax, which makes the UK, particularly regional airports, uncompetitive compared to EU countries like Sweden, Hungary, Slovakia, and regional Italy, which are abolishing aviation taxes and lowering access costs to stimulate traffic, tourism, and jobs growth.

The UK has gone the wrong way by raising APD to £15 per passenger, and now the Labour Govt proposes to ‘double tax’ visitors by allowing Regional Mayors to levy a tax on hotel overnights. Ryanair has already submitted plans to the Labour Govt to grow UK traffic by 27% to 80M passengers by 2030, but this growth can only be delivered if the Govt abolishes its damaging and penal APD tax, which is now the highest in Europe.

Ryanair also called on Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, to dismiss overpaid failed NATS CEO Martin Rolfe. After repeated collapses of the UK ATC system, it is time for NATS to appoint a new and competent CEO who will develop an effective backup system which can actually avoid mass flight cancellations and delays.”

Liverpool John Lennon Airport’s CEO, John Irving said:

‘Liverpool John Lennon Airport is delighted that Ryanair will operate a sixth based aircraft through the winter season. This additional growth will allow passengers from across the Northwest and North Wales to use the region’s Faster.Easier.Friendlier Airport’.