Ryanair expands the destinations reachable from Rome. The Irish low-cost airline announced the launch of seven new routes (82 in total) from the capital's airports: from Fiumicino to Dubrovnik, Gothenburg, Lisbon, Malta, Paris; from Ciampino towards Gdansk and Riga. This was announced by the group's CEO, Michael O'Leary, in a press conference, presenting the summer program.
Two new Boeing 737s in Fiumicino, 60 new jobs
The company will base two new Boeing 737 aircraft in Fiumicino, for a estimated investment of 200 million of dollars. This will also lead to the creation of 60 new jobs between pilots, cabin crew and engineers.
Ryanair plans a 15% increase in air traffic to Rome, reaching further 11 million passengers nod. This will create a total of 8.600 jobs, including over 500 pilots, flight attendants and engineers.
O'Leary: "Away with the unjustified tax, Italy is the only country to apply it"
During the press conference O'Leary took the opportunity to attack the Italian government on taxes. “While Ryanair continues to invest and grow in Italy, offering new routes and low fares”, the Italian government “continues to damage connectivity, jobs and tourism increasing the municipal surtax“, accuses the CEO of the company which he then recalls as “Italy it is the only EU state that applies this unjustified tax, making Italian airports uncompetitive compared to other EU tourist states, such as Spain, Portugal and Greece”. To grow tourism in the country, explains O'Leary, we need “abolish this unjustified municipal surcharge at all Italian airports and allow Ryanair, and other airlines, to deliver even greater growth in traffic, tourism and jobs for Italy."
O'Leary: “Rome needs two strong airports, I would like to meet Meloni”
The CEO of Ryanair then spoke about the second airport in the capital which according to him needs investments: "Rome needs two strong airports, Ciampino has been artificially limited, between landings and take-offs only six flights are allowed per hour, since I last met Salvini there have been no developments on the extension of the runway, nothing is known" who then asks for a meeting with the government to explain the company's future plans "I met Giorgetti, Salvini and I would like to meet Prime Minister Meloni to talk about what we can do in the coming years because we want to continue to grow and invest in Italy".
