Ryanair, Europe’s No.1 airline, today (Tues, 31Mar) announced that the first flight of its new Summer 2026 route from Birmingham to Rome took off on Sun 29 Mar. Ryanair will operate 4 weekly flights on this exciting new Summer 2026 route, providing its UK customers with even more choice at Europe’s lowest fares.

Ryanair’s full Summer 2026 schedule is available to book now on the Ryanair app.

Ryanair’s Director of Communications, Jade Kirwan, said:

“We were pleased to see the first flight of our new Summer 2026 route from Birmingham to Rome take off this weekend, as we move into the busy Summer 2026 season. This exciting new Summer route will operate four times per week, adding to Ryanair’s already robust Summer 2026 schedule, offering our customers even more choice at the lowest fares in Europe.

Ryanair’s full Summer 2026 schedule is available to book now on the Ryanair app.”

Ryanair, Europas Fluggesellschaft Nr. 1, forderte heute (Montag, 30. März) Bundeskanzler Stocker und Verkehrsminister Hanke erneut auf, Österreichs schädliche Luftverkehrssteuer in Höhe von 12 € mit Wirkung zum 1. Mai abzuschaffen, anstatt weiterhin wertvolle Zeit damit zu verschwenden, über diese schädliche und nachteilige Steuer „nachzudenken“. Österreichs 12 €-Luftverkehrssteuer, die jährlich weniger als 150 Mio. € einbringt (weniger als die Parkstrafen in Wien), muss unverzüglich abgeschafft werden, wenn Österreich und Wien die Routen, das Passagieraufkommen und den Tourismus zurückgewinnen wollen, die an wettbewerbsfähigere Länder ohne Luftverkehrssteuern wie die Slowakei, Schweden, Italien und Albanien verloren gegangen sind. Diese Steuer in Höhe von 12 € sowie die hohen Gebühren des Flughafens Wien haben Österreich wettbewerbsunfähig gemacht.

Ryanair ist bereit, ihren 1-Mrd-Dollar-Wachstumsplan umzusetzen, um das Passagieraufkommen in Österreich in den nächsten fünf Jahren um 70 % auf 12 Mio. Passagiere p.a. zu steigern – allerdings nur, wenn diese schädliche Luftverkehrssteuer in Höhe von 12 € abgeschafft, die Flugsicherungsgebühren gesenkt (wie es die Slowakei kürzlich erneut getan hat) und Wachstumsanreizprogramme des Flughafens Wien wieder eingeführt werden. Ryanair ist bereit, 10 neue B737-Flugzeuge (im Wert von 1 Mrd. US-Dollar) in Wien zu stationieren und auch das Verkehrsaufkommen an Österreichs Regionalflughäfen massiv zu steigern, jedoch nur, wenn diese unsinnige Steuer abgeschafft wird, Österreich die Erhöhung der Flugsicherungsgebühren nach Covid rückgängig macht und der Flughafen Wien wieder Wachstumsanreizprogramme einführt, die Wachstum und wettbewerbsfähige Kosten gewährleisten. Bis dahin werden Wien und Österreich weiterhin gegenüber kostengünstigeren Ländern ohne Luftverkehrssteuern wie Schweden, der Slowakei und italienischen Regionen den Kürzeren ziehen.

Ryanairs Andreas Gruber sagte:

„Es macht keinen Sinn, dass Bundeskanzler Stocker oder Verkehrsminister Hanke Österreichs schädliche Luftverkehrssteuer in Höhe von 12 € lediglich „überprüfen“. Die Slowakei, Schweden und italienische Regionen haben ihre Luftverkehrssteuern abgeschafft und Österreich muss es ihnen gleichtun. Die Regierung Stocker spielt Geige, während Rom brennt, und das ist keine Lösung. Österreich muss diese unsinnige Steuer sofort abschaffen, seine Flugsicherungsgebühren um 50 % senken und den Flughafen Wien dazu ermutigen, seine Wachstumsanreizprogramme wieder einzuführen. Dann können der Flughafen Wien und Österreich zu Verkehr, Tourismus und Wirtschaftswachstum zurückkehren, da so eine dringend benötigte Kostenbasis geschaffen wird, die gegenüber der benachbarten Slowakei, Schweden und italienischen Regionen wettbewerbsfähig ist.

Die Abschaffung dieser unsinnigen Luftverkehrssteuer würde den Staat lediglich 150 Mio. € kosten, doch die zusätzlichen Steuereinnahmen, die durch steigende Besucherzahlen und höhere Tourismusausgaben über das gesamte Jahr hinweg allein in Wien erzielt werden, würden diesen geringen Einnahmenverlust mehr als ausgleichen. Es ist an der Zeit für entschlossenes Handeln und einen dynamischen Wachstumsplan von Bundeskanzler Stocker: die Steuer abschaffen, Flugsicherungsgebühren senken, Wachstumsanreize am Flughafen Wien einführen und es Ryanair ermöglichen, die Erholung und das Wachstum der österreichischen Luftfahrt, des Verkehrsaufkommens und des Tourismus wieder anzuführen.“

US$300M INVESTMENT, 27% GROWTH, 4 NEW ROUTES

Ryanair, the UK’s No.1 low-fares airline, today (Fri, 27 Mar) announced that it has added a 3^rd based aircraft at Newcastle Airport for Summer 2026, representing a US$300m investment in the Northeast and supporting over 1,100 local jobs. This additional aircraft will deliver +210,000 additional seats (+27% growth) and 4 exciting new routes to Brussels Charleroi, Budapest, Malta and Marrakesh. Ryanair has also increased frequencies on another 7 routes, including popular holiday hotspots like Barcelona, Faro and Malaga, as well as top city break destinations like Dublin, Krakow and Milan offering Ryanair’s customers in the Northeast with even more low-fare choice and regular connections this Summer.

Ryanair’s Newcastle Summer 2026 schedule will deliver:

• 22 routes, incl. 4 new routes to Brussels Charleroi, Budapest, Malta and Marrakesh
• 3 based aircraft (+1 vs. S25 – US$300m investment in Newcastle)
• Increased freq. on 7 routes
• 1m seats (+27%)
• Newcastle traffic grows to over 1.3m passengers p.a.

To celebrate Ryanair’s 3^rd aircraft and 4 new routes at Newcastle for Summer 2026, the airline has launched a limited time seat sale with fares from £29.99 available to book now via the Ryanair App.

Ryanair’s Director of Communications, Jade Kirwan, said:

“Ryanair is pleased to announce our 3^rd based aircraft at Newcastle Airport for Summer 2026, which will grow our Newcastle traffic by 27% and create dozens more local jobs, building on the 1,100 local jobs that Ryanair already supports.

With this new aircraft comes 4 exciting new Ryanair routes to Brussels Charleroi, Budapest, Malta and Marrakesh, as well as extra frequencies on 7 of our existing routes, including popular sun and city break destinations, like Barcelona, Faro, Krakow and Malaga offering our customers in the Northeast with more choice at the lowest fares in Europe, while simultaneously driving important inbound tourism and supporting local jobs.

To celebrate Ryanair’s 3^rd aircraft and 4 new routes at Newcastle this Summer, we’ve launched a limited time seat sale with fares from just £29.99 available to book now via the Ryanair App.”

Newcastle Airport’s Director of Aviation Development, Leon McQuaid, said:

“It’s fantastic to see Ryanair further investing in Newcastle Airport with the addition of new routes to Brussels Charleroi, Budapest, Malta and Marrakesh for Summer 2026, following such strong demand from our passengers.

These new services will deliver hundreds of thousands of additional low cost seats, and together with extra flights to popular destinations such as Barcelona, Krakow, Milan, Faro and Malaga, this investment will give our passengers even more choice and help make 2026 a record breaking year for Newcastle Airport, with six million passengers expected.”

US$1.9BN INVESTMENT, 9% GROWTH, 2 NEW ROUTES

Ryanair, the UK’s No.1 low-fares airline, today (Fri, 27 Mar) announced that it has added a 19^th based aircraft at Manchester Airport for Summer 2026, representing a US$1.9bn investment in the North West and supporting over 7,300 local jobs. This additional aircraft will deliver +540,000 additional seats (+9% growth) and 2 exciting new routes to Castellon and Rimini. Ryanair has also increased frequencies on another 37 routes, including popular holiday hotspots like Faro, Porto and Rhodes, as well as top city break destinations like Barcelona, Dubrovnik and Milan, offering Ryanair’s customers in the North West even more low-fare choice and regular connections this Summer.

Ryanair’s Manchester Summer 2026 schedule will deliver:

• 82 routes, incl. 2 new routes to Castellon and Rimini
• 19 based aircraft (+1 vs. S25 – US$1.9bn investment in Manchester)
• Increased freq. on 37 routes
• 6.6m seats (+9%)
• Manchester traffic grows to over 9m passengers p.a.

To celebrate Ryanair’s 19^th aircraft and 2 new routes at Manchester for Summer 2026, the airline has launched a limited time seat sale with fares from £29.99 available to book now via the Ryanair App.

Ryanair’s Director of Communications, Jade Kirwan, said:

“Ryanair is pleased to announce our 19^th based aircraft at Manchester Airport for Summer 2026, which will grow our Manchester traffic by 9% and create dozens more local jobs, building on the 7,300 local jobs that Ryanair already supports.

With this new aircraft comes 2 exciting new Ryanair routes to Castellon and Rimini, as well as extra frequencies on 37 of our existing routes, including popular sun and city break destinations, like Alicante, Barcelona, Dubrovnik, Faro, Krakow, Malaga, Milan and Rome offering our customers in the North West with more choice at the lowest fares in Europe, while simultaneously driving important inbound tourism and supporting local jobs.

To celebrate Ryanair’s 19^th aircraft and 2 new routes at Manchester this Summer, we’ve launched a limited time seat sale with fares from just £29.99 available to book now via the Ryanair App.”

US$900M INVESTMENT, 17% GROWTH, 5 NEW ROUTES

Ryanair, the UK’s No.1 low-fares airline, today (Fri, 27 Mar) announced that it has added a 9^th based aircraft at Birmingham Airport for Summer 2026, representing a US$900m investment in the West Midlands and supporting over 3,000 local jobs. This additional aircraft will deliver +424,000 additional seats (+17% growth) and 5 exciting new routes to Agadir, Rome Fiumicino, Marrakesh, Tirana and Warsaw Modlin. Ryanair has also increased frequencies on another 18 routes, including popular holiday hotspots like Alicante, Malta and Porto, as well as top city break destinations like Barcelona, Paris and Valencia offering Ryanair’s customers in the West Midlands with even more low-fare choice and regular connections this Summer.

Ryanair’s Birmingham Summer 2026 schedule will deliver:

• 50 routes, incl. 5 new routes to Agadir, Rome Fiumicino, Marrakesh, Tirana and Warsaw Modlin
• 9 based aircraft (+1 vs. S25 – US$900m investment in Birmingham)
• Increased freq. on 18 routes
• 3m seats (+17%)
• Birmingham traffic grows to 4m passengers p.a.

To celebrate Ryanair’s 9^th aircraft and 5 new routes at Birmingham in Summer 2026, the airline has launched a limited time seat sale with fares from £29.99 available to book now via the Ryanair App.

Ryanair’s Director of Communications, Jade Kirwan, said:

“Ryanair is pleased to announce our 9^th based aircraft at Birmingham Airport for Summer 2026, which will grow our Birmingham traffic by 17% and create dozens more local jobs, building on the 3,000 local jobs that Ryanair already supports.

With this new aircraft comes 5 exciting new Ryanair routes to Agadir, Rome Fiumicino, Marrakesh, Tirana and Warsaw Modlin, as well as extra frequencies on 18 of our existing routes, including popular sun and city break destinations, like Alicante, Barcelona, Krakow, Madrid, Malaga, Malta and Porto offering our customers in the West Midlands with more choice at the lowest fares in Europe, while simultaneously driving important inbound tourism and supporting local jobs.

To celebrate Ryanair’s 9^th aircraft and 5 new routes at Birmingham this Summer, we’ve launched a limited time seat sale with fares from just £29.99 available to book now via the Ryanair App.”

Ryanair, Europe’s No.1 passenger airline, today (Wed 25 Mar) called on the Dáil Committee of Transport to abolish the Fingal CoCo’s unlawful 2007 32m passenger cap at Dublin Airport. The abolition of this cap was raised in the manifestos of most political parties in the 2024 General Election. Both Fianna Fail and Fine Gael won a majority, and published their Govt Program in Jan 2025, promising to abolish the Dublin Airport cap “as soon as possible”. Yet 16 months later, the cap remains as the Govt have failed to act.

In addition to Ryanair, other airlines, IATA, and A4A, all made submissions to the Transport Committee calling on the Govt to deliver on its Jan 2025 Program promise to scrap the cap. Ryanair highlighted that the noise claims of local residents are bogus. Ryanair’s research shows that avg. daily noise over St Margarets, Ballyboughal and Ashbourne is less than 50 decibels, which is defined as “quiet, moderate and generally safe”. Even with an aircraft overhead, noise levels over these localities rise to just 52dB or 53dB. Ryanair believes that “nimbies” who moved into the North Dublin area in 1998 or in 2016 (long after Dublin Airport opened in 1940!), should not be allowed to object to, or delay, national airport infrastructure.

Ryanair calls for Dublin Airport to be removed from Fingal CoCo’s failed planning system. It is absurd that a 32m passenger cap was imposed on Dublin Airport in 2007 over now long outdated road traffic concerns. The growth of air traffic at Dublin Airport should not be affected by outdated road traffic issues limiting air travel on and off the island of Ireland.

As today’s submission to the Transport Committee demonstrated, Dublin and Ireland can enjoy significant additional traffic, tourism and jobs growth, by taking advantage of the 2^nd runway, which was opened in 2020. This 2^nd runway creates potential traffic growth to between 50m to 60m over the next decade. Dublin Airport is the key gateway on and off the island of Ireland. Ryanair will take delivery of 300 new Boeing aircraft over the next 10 years. These aircraft will come to Europe in any event, so the only question for Dublin and Ireland is how much of the growth does Ireland want, and should Dublin and Ireland lose this traffic and jobs growth to other European States because of the continued failure of Micheál Martin’s Govt to deliver on its Govt Program to scrap the Dublin Airport cap “asap”.

Ryanair’s CEO Michael O’Leary said:
“It is time for Micheál Martin to finally deliver on his Govt Program after 16 months of inaction, and scrap the Dublin Airport cap “as soon as possible”. There are no valid reasons to prevent airlines and the Irish economy from benefiting from Dublin’s 2^nd runway, which we, the airlines, are paying for. Given avg. daily noise levels of under 50dB, the noise complaints from local residents are bogus, particularly since those people moved nearer to Dublin Airport in 1998 or in 2016. The Airport has been there since 1940.

Dublin and Ireland can enjoy significant routes, traffic, and jobs thanks to Dublin’s 2^nd runway. Ryanair has 300 aircraft on order, and can uniquely deliver this growth for Dublin and for Ireland, but only when this illegal cap is abolished, and the DAA offers competitive airport charges. The time for delay and dithering is over. We call on Micheál Martin to deliver on his Govt Program promise to scrap the Dublin Airport cap, and take action urgently before the US Authorities retaliate by blocking Aer Lingus flights landing in New York.”

Chris Sununu, President & CEO of Airlines for America said:
“Dublin Airport’s passenger cap is no longer just a planning issue. It is a policy choice that is holding back Ireland’s economy, undermining certainty for airlines and travellers, and putting vital transatlantic connectivity at risk. Airlines for America’s position is clear: the cap should be removed through a durable legislative solution that keeps Dublin open to growth, competition, and international connectivity.”

WHO NEEDS SAM MAGUIRE WHEN YOU HAVE RYANAIR??

Ryanair, Europe’s No.1 airline, today (Tues, 24 Mar) flew a celebration Boeing 737 into Ireland West Airport Knock Airport to mark 40 years of commercial flights since the airport first opened in 1986. Over that period of the last 40 years, Ryanair – which is Knock’s biggest airline customer – has carried over 12m passengers to/from Knock.

Ireland West Airport Knock Airport continues to be the leading low-fare gateway to/from the West of Ireland, and is one of the fastest growing airports in Europe since the Covid pandemic. In 2026, Knock Airport will welcome over 1m passengers for the first time in its history, up 40% from its pre-Covid 700,000 traffic volumes.

Ryanair continues to invest in and grow at Ireland West Airport Knock Airport. In Summer 2026, Ryanair expects to carry 1m passengers to/from Knock, and will account for some 95% of Knock Airport’s total traffic, which in 2026 will exceed 1m passengers for the first time ever.

This Summer, Ryanair will operate 17 routes to/from Knock with 8 routes to/from the UK and 9 routes to/from Europe.

Arriving in Knock Airport today (wearing Mayo colours), Ryanair’s CEO, Michael O’Leary, said:

“Having Ryanair in Knock Airport is far better than any Sam Maguire. Mayo may have been cursed on the football fields for the last 50 years, but thanks to Knock Airport and Ryanair, it continues to be the champion for low-fare air access and tourism growth in the West of Ireland. With over 1m passengers in 2026, and 17 routes to the UK & Europe, Ryanair and Knock Airport continue to work closely together to deliver low fare traffic and tourism growth for the West of Ireland.”

Welcoming Michael O’Leary to the airport Managing Director of Ireland West Airport, Joe Gilmore, said:

“We would like to welcome Michael to the airport to mark the 40th anniversary and to recognise the long term business relationship the airport has had with Ryanair since their first service departed the airport in December 1986, this relationship continues to be strong today with the airline serving 17 destinations from the airport, and last year celebrated the wonderful milestone of carrying their 12 millionth passenger through the airport. This summer Ryanair will operate their biggest ever schedule from the airport and we look forward to continuing this strong partnership and to growing our network of routes and services with Ryanair in the future.”