Budget carrier Ryanair has announced four new routes from a major Scottish airport.
The Dublin-based airline said it has responded to a UK Government 50 per cent cut in air passenger duty (APD) for domestic travel from this month by introducing nine new routes across the country.
It includes four routes from Edinburgh to Belfast, Bournemouth, Newquay and London Stansted.
The move comes as the airline saw a 12 per cent increase in passenger numbers for March to 12.6 million, set against 11.2 million the same time last year, although this was impacted by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
It has also called for European action over disruption caused by French air traffic control strikes.
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However, the airline said the 50% reduction “ignores international connectivity which is fundamental for the growth of the UK’s economy and tourism”.
It added: “Ryanair calls again on the UK Government to fully abolish APD for all travel immediately, which would not only promote tourism, but also support job growth, and much-needed connectivity to the UK, an island-based economy on the edge of Europe.”
Jade Kirwan, Ryanair head of communications, said: “Ryanair is pleased to announce nine new domestic UK routes in direct response to the UK Govt’s 50% reduction in UK APD.
“Reducing APD will result in market growth in the UK, and these new routes show just that with 74 weekly flights scheduled across Belfast, Bournemouth, Cardiff, Edinburgh, East Midlands, London, Manchester and Newquay representing 95% growth on our UK domestic schedule compared to last summer.
“While the halving of APD on domestic flights from Apr ‘23 has allowed Ryanair to add more domestic routes to our UK schedule for summer ’23, if we are to continue to grow and drive traffic and tourism recovery for the UK, the UK Government should immediately scrap APD for all travel and provide incentives for airlines like Ryanair to stimulate growth and recovery for the entire UK market.”
The firm is also calling on the European Union to step in over the French air traffic controllers’ industrial dispute after almost 30 strikes so far this year.
Ryanair has launched a petition to the EU in an effort to keep the French skies open during ATC strikes.
The action has led to more than 3,000 flights being cancelled by the airline.
Ms Kirwan said: "We are trying to generate a bit of community support among passengers and other industry bodies within the aviation sector.
"Everyone is feeling the impact of French ATC [action]."
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