Ryanair says it will create 200 new jobs in what it calls its biggest expansion of operations at Dublin Airport. The jobs will be for pilots, cabin crew and sales staff.
The airline will start 12 new routes from Dublin, bringing to 63 the number of UK and European routes served from Dublin. It will base three new aircraft in Dublin.
The new routes are to Oslo, Madrid, Tampere (Finland), Vitoria (Spain), Billund (Denmark), Bologna, Grenoble, Friedrichshafen (Germany). Seville, Pula (Croatia), Almeria (Spain) and Rzeszow (Poland). The new destinations will begin operating from December 2006 to February 2007 an will operate all year round.
Chief executive Michael O'Leary claimed Ryanair was now 'Ireland's national airline' and said the new routes would challenge Aer Lingus on routes such as Madrid, Bologna and Seville.
He described the Oslo airport as 'the Mullingar of Norway' and Friedrichshafen as 'the Tralee of Germany'.
Mr O'Leary said his airline carries five times more passengers a year than Aer Lingus, and offers twice the number of routes from Ireland to Europe.
