Fresh from declaring a 2022 profit of over $200 million, Irish no-frills airline Ryanair announced additions to its summer schedules from Cardiff, Exeter, London Stansted and Teeside, with new routes to Belfast, Faro and Leipzig listed.
"We look forward to welcoming hundreds of thousands of customers onboard our flights this summer as Ryanair continues to deliver more traffic, connectivity, and lower fares than any other airline for the UK," said Jade Kirwan, the carrier's communications head.
From Cardiff, Ryanair is to fly to Belfast, with the Dublin route to get extra flights and sun holiday options available in Faro and Malaga.
"Ryanair continues to recognise that people living in Wales want to fly to and from their local airport and this increase in choice is a good step for building on future opportunities with the airline in Wales," said Cardiff Airport chief executive Spencer Birns.
The airline's London Stansted network is to get a new Leipzig option, while the 14 weekly flights out of Teeside will include connections to Alicante, Corfu, Faro and Palma,
Travellers from Exeter can choose between three destinations, including a new Faro route as well as Alicante and Malaga.
"The new route to Faro this summer adds to Ryanair's year-round flights to Alicante and Malaga and is a fantastic addition to our network, with a total of 26 destinations on offer this year," said Stephen Wiltshere, managing director of Exeter Airport.
Ryanair again said the British government should do away with air passenger duty (APD), restating its argument that the recent 50% cut applicable to domestic travel only did not go far enough.
"Ryanair calls again on the UK Govt to fully abolish APD for all travel immediately, which would not only promote tourism, but support much needed connectivity to the UK – an island-based economy on the edge of Europe," the carrier said in its latest batch of route expansion statements, which followed recent announcements of expanded schedules out of Liverpool and Edinburgh.