- 5 new Dublin routes: Marrakech (2w), Munich (2 daily), Naples (5w), Paphos (2w) and Stuttgart (daily)
- Extra flights to Hamburg (daily)
- 90 routes in total from Dublin
- 12.9m customers a year, up 450,000 at Dublin
Morocco and Germany are the big focus for next year as Ryanair launched its Summer 2018 schedule from Dublin at a press briefing in the capital.
With Spain bustling as tourists moved towards safer shores due to terrorism fears, Ryanair believes there’s demand for a cheaper sun break destination, given rising hotel prices in Spain. It’s reintroducing the Marrakech route, and will also be flying to Paphos in Cyprus, an island that has been largely off the radar of Irish holidaymakers for a number of years.
Launching the new schedule, Ryanair Chief Commercial Officer David O’Brien said that Ryanair also sees huge potential in the German market, and it’s returning to Munich for the first time since 1992, when the airline baulked at “paying €50 to have a lemon delivered” to an aircraft.
Kenny Jacobs and David O’Brien don traditional Bavarian hats to announce the Munich route as Kevin Toland looks on
The airline will also introduce Dublin to Stuttgart and boost its service to Hamburg, going daily to the northern port. Mr O’Brien and Chief Marketing Officer Kenny Jacobs said the airline supports the second runway at Dublin Airport – but believes that it should only cost €240m, €80m less than DAA’s estimate.
“We are still big supporters of the second runway in Dublin,” said Mr O’Brien. “Dublin is, at peak time, full, so it’s very difficult to get slots. Dublin is really punching above its weight, with more EU traffic routes than Heathrow has in hotel. Consider Athens, with 14 island airports [around Greece], the weather we don’t have, has 20m passengers whereas Dublin has 30m.”
He said the Munich service will start this winter, and “for the first time you have Ryanair into Naples during the summer. We will have more passengers in Dublin than Prague has in total.”
Mr O’Brien said the Government should provide marketing funding to push inbound tourism at its new routes in Germany. “Germany is a particular focus – it’s a great opportunity for Ireland. We’ve become particularly reliant on the UK market, particularly for tourism”, saying this is a concern as Ireland is less attractive to British visitors because of the weakness of sterling.
Ryanair will carry 14.9m customers through Irish airports next year. “We can see that gap in fares between ourselves and our competitors continues to widen,” said Kenny Jacobs.
DAA CEO Kevin Toland, while clashing with Kenny Jacobs and David O’Brien on the runway cost, paid tribute to the airline in boosting passenger numbers in Ireland: “Ryanair now goes to 90 destinations from Dublin, which is the same as Heathrow on the short-haul side.” He said that the new routes will mean Ryanair will grow its Dublin Airport summer traffic “by 4pc next year”.
Kenny Jacobs said Ryanair are interested in some of the assets of Air Berlin
Kenny Jacobs said Ryanair are aiming to take Air Berlin’s market share
David O’Brien said the Air Berlin process is a Stitch up
David O’Brien said the Air Berlin doling out of assets process began before it was announced
Kevin Toland talked about plans for passport control E gates at Dublin airport
Kevin Toland talked about the impact of Brexit on Dublin airport
Kenny Jacobs said Ryanair was cutting fares by 5pc in this half-year period
Kenny Jacobs outlined the Issues facing Ryanair in summer 2017
Kenny Jacobs said the latest phases in Ryanair’s Always Getting Better programme included voice recognition and a Get Me Home app
David O’Brien said Irish tourism is not performing in the German market
Kenny Jacobs said ALL of the problems with drunkenness on Ryanair’s Europe wide network were cause dby English passengers
Kenny Jacobs said the future of aviation in post Brexit Britain was no clearer as negotiations got under way
David O’Brien said Dublin airport can never do enough for Ryanair
David O’Brien explained why Ryanair returned to Marrakech
Kevin Toland said Michael O’Leary could do his job and would be successful
David O’Brien said Ryanair did not close down Buzz, in answer to questions
Kenny Jacobs said Ireland should keep the 9pc VAT rate for tourism businesses
David O’Brien said interlining with Norwegian and Aer Lingus is delayed until end of 2017
Kenny Jacobs said Ryanair have no plans for onboard wifi
Kevin Toland said there would be no second runway until 2021 because of delay in legislation
David O’Brien said Ryanair are making their way through the data room on the Alitalia bid
Kevin Toland said Dublin airport does not need a third terminal
Kenny Jacobs outlined the concerns for Irish aviation and tourism from Brexit
David O’Brien said German airports now see an opportunity in Ryanair
Ryanair full press conference
Kenny Jacobs said Ryanair is planning 4pc growth in Dublin in 2018
Kenny Jacobs reflected on Ryanair reaching 1bn passengers
Kenny Jacobs said Ryanair stimulated demand by dropping prices after Barcelona attack
