Ryanair has unveiled its Winter 2024 schedule from Bristol Airport, adding five new destinations to its roster. The budget airline is simultaneously urging the government to remove an ‘unfair’ air passenger duty (APD) that impacts tourism. Ryanair believes this move would enable substantial growth in UK tourism and job creation, enhancing the country’s competitive edge in Europe.
- The winter schedule includes five new routes from Bristol to Copenhagen, Fuerteventura, Marrakesh, Prague, and Tirana, expanding Ryanair’s offerings to 30 destinations.
- Ryanair criticizes the Air Passenger Duty, arguing that its abolition would lead to significant job creation, investment, and traffic growth in the UK.
- The company has promised to create 1,000 new jobs and add 20 aircraft, investing £2bn, if the UK government abolishes the APD.
- Ryanair has a strong presence in the UK, operating over 640 routes with an annual passenger count exceeding 57 million.
Ryanair has announced its Winter 2024 schedule, featuring an expansion at Bristol Airport where it will introduce flights to five new destinations. These new routes to Copenhagen, Fuerteventura, Marrakesh, Prague, and Tirana, represent an increase in Ryanair’s offerings from the South West to a total of 30 destinations, providing greater travel options at competitive prices.
The airline has simultaneously called upon the government to eliminate the Air Passenger Duty (APD), labelling it as a burdensome expense that hinders UK tourism’s competitiveness against European counterparts. According to Ryanair, abolishing this duty would facilitate ambitious growth within the UK aviation industry. The APD is levied per passenger depending on their journey’s endpoint, and Ryanair argues its removal would enhance their capacity to significantly expand UK tourism and job opportunities across the nation.
In a demonstration of the potential benefits, Ryanair has projected that eliminating the APD could lead to the creation of 1,000 new jobs and an investment of £2bn in adding 20 new aircraft to UK airports. This could potentially increase the airline’s annual UK traffic by 14%, reaching 65 million passengers by the end of the decade.
The focus on expansion is highlighted by the airline’s current operation of over 640 routes in and out of the UK, with a fleet that carries over 57 million passengers annually on 117 UK-based aircraft. Despite facing challenges including a reported 46% decline in profit before tax for the quarter ending June 30, Ryanair remains committed to growing UK traffic and tourism, contingent upon policy changes.
Central to Ryanair’s argument is the belief that as an island nation on Europe’s periphery, the UK must ensure cost-effective air access to sustain competitive tourism growth, especially in regions currently experiencing tourism decline. This advocacy aligns with Ryanair’s broader strategy to leverage its market position through expansive route offerings and low-cost travel solutions.
Ryanair’s proposed expansion underscores its commitment to enhancing UK tourism, contingent on crucial tax policy reforms by the government.
