SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 6-K
Report of Foreign Private Issuer
Pursuant to Rule 13a-16 or 15d-16
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
For the month of August 2006
RYANAIR HOLDINGS PLC
(Translation of registrant's name into English)
c/o Ryanair Ltd Corporate Head Office
Dublin Airport
County Dublin Ireland
(Address of principal executive offices)
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual
reports under cover Form 20-F or Form 40-F.
Form 20-F..X.. Form 40-F.....
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant by furnishing the information
contained in this Form is also thereby furnishing the information to the
Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934.
Yes ..... No ..X..
If "Yes" is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to the registrant
in connection with Rule 12g3-2(b): 82- ________
RYANAIR ANNOUNCES BIGGEST EVER EXPANSION AT DUBLIN 12 NEW EUROPEAN ROUTES
START FROM DECEMBER
Ryanair, Ireland's largest airline, today (Wednesday, 9th August 2006) unveiled
a significant expansion of its European operations at Dublin Airport. From
December, Ryanair will base three new aircraft in Dublin Airport, create over
200 jobs, and start services on twelve new routes from Dublin to points all over
Europe. The new schedule of routes is as follows:
Destination Starts Frequency
Oslo (Norway) Dec Daily
Madrid (Spain) Feb Daily
Tampere (Finland) Dec Four Weekly
Vitoria (Spain) Jan Four Weekly
Billund (Denmark) Jan Four Weekly
Bologna (Italy) Feb Four Weekly
Grenoble (France) Dec Three Weekly
Friedrichshafen (Germany) Dec Three Weekly
Seville (Spain) Jan Three Weekly
Pula (Croatia) Feb Three Weekly
Almeria (Spain) Jan Two Weekly
Rzeszow (Poland) Jan Two Weekly
These new destinations start in December 2006 and will be served by Ryanair on a
year round basis. They bring to 63 the number of UK and European routes served
by Ryanair from Dublin and completes Ryanair's displacement of Aer Lingus as the
national carrier of Ireland, as demonstrated by the following facts:
1. Ryanair carries 42M pax annually, five times more than Aer Lingus' 8M.
2. Ryanair offers more routes from Dublin to the UK (18) than Aer Lingus (7).
3. Ryanair offers more routes from Dublin to Europe (45) than Aer Lingus
(28).
4. Ryanair offers double the routes from Irl to UK&EUR (102) than Aer Lingus
(51).
5. Ryanair carries 50% more passengers to/from Ireland (12M) than Aer Lingus
(8M).
6. Ryanair's av. fare is EUR41. Aer Lingus's av. Eur fare is 60% higher @ EUR67
7. Ryanair beats Aer Lingus on punctuality, fewer cancellations and fewer
lost bags.
8. Ryanair brings more visitors to Dublin and Ireland than Aer Lingus.
Announcing these new routes in Dublin this morning, Ryanair's CEO Michael
O'Leary said:
"Move over Aer Lingus! Ryanair is now Ireland's national airline and Aer
Lingus is just a distant number 2. Passengers prefer Ryanair because we
give them lower fares, many more destinations to the UK and Europe and a
better passenger service in terms of newer aircraft, better punctuality,
fewer cancellations and fewer lost bags.
"On every route where there they have a choice, millions more passengers
prefer Ryanair to Aer Lingus. Today's twelve new routes will end Aer
Lingus' high fare monopoly to destinations such as Madrid, Bologna,
Almeria and Seville. Irish passengers who previously had no alternative
to Aer Lingus' high fares and frequent delays on these routes will now
have a low fare, on-time option with Ryanair. Irish passengers will also
enjoy Ryanair's low fares to new European destinations such as Norway
(Oslo Torp), Denmark (Billund), Finland (Tampere) and Eastern Poland
(Rzeszow) which are not currently served by Aer Lingus.
"This year Ryanair will carry 42 million passengers across its network.
This is five times more than the annual, 8M traffic of Aer Lingus.
Ryanair also carries 50% more passengers than Aer Lingus to/from
Ireland. The Irish people have voted with their feet and made Ryanair
Ireland's number one airline. In the process Aer Lingus has been
displaced as Ireland's national airline and now survives as just a
distant number 2.
"In 2007, Ryanair will deliver 9M passengers through Dublin airport,
sustaining 9,000 jobs in Dublin and generating a tourist spend of
EUR2.5BN. To celebrate these 12 new European destinations, Ryanair is
launching a seat sale today with every seat on every one of these routes
(except Grenoble and Friedrichshafen) being sold for just EUR12 one way
(including taxes, fees and charges) for travel during the first month of
operation. This offer will run for one week only and I urge everybody to
book their seats as quickly as possible on www.ryanair.com because at
such low prices, these seats will sell out fast".
Ends. Wednesday, 9th August 2006
For further information:
Peter Sherrard - Ryanair Pauline McAlester - Murray Consultants
Tel: 00 353 1 8121228 Tel: 00 353 1 4980300
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, hereunto duly authorized.
RYANAIR HOLDINGS PLC
Date: 09 August 2006
By:___/s/ James Callaghan____
James Callaghan
Company Secretary & Finance Director