Ryanair bring early Xmas present for LJLA

Low fares airline Ryanair today announced two additions to their comprehensive range of destinations from Liverpool John Lennon Airport (LJLA). From spring 2008 they will commence services to Nantes in North West France and to Malaga in southern Spain.

These new services will take the number of destinations served by Ryanair from Liverpool to 42 helping to grow their current annual throughput at LJLA which is just over 2 million passengers, even further.

Vic Brodrick, Peel Airports Commercial Director, commented: “These two new Ryanair destinations further enhance the airline’s considerable presence here at LJLA. They have grown at an incredible rate from their one Dublin route to 42 European destinations in 2008. Today’s news clearly shows Ryanair’s commitment to maintaining Liverpool’s status as their leading North West airport.”

Today’s new routes are part of Ryanair’s largest ever new route expansion which sees 50 new European routes in 2008. Announcing Ryanair’s two new routes from Liverpool, Peter Sherrard from Ryanair, said: “Today’s new routes to Malaga and Nantes are great news for Liverpool’s passengers who will save £40m on Ryanair’s unbeatable Liverpool route network of 42 routes.

“To celebrate the roll out of Ryanair’s largest ever European expansion we are releasing 2 million seats across our 605 European routes for just £10/ €10. This offer must end at midnight Thursday, so we advise passengers to go straight to www.ryanair.com because these bargains will be snapped up in record time.”

The Nantes and Malaga flights will operate three times per week commencing on 1st April 2008.
Malaga is already a popular year round destination from Liverpool, used regularly by holidaymakers and by passengers who own properties on the Spanish South Coast. Nantes however, is to be served from Liverpool for the first time and opens up access to low cost air travel for passengers wishing to visit areas such as Brittany.

There are a number of similarities between Nantes and Liverpool including both having large ports serving as gateways to transatlantic shipping. Nantes, like Liverpool is a city with a great deal of history which also played a key role in the slave trade back in the 18th Century. Today, it too has its own slavery museum and this new route will assist Liverpool’s International Slavery Museum to strengthen the links between the cities’ two organisations.