Success of Ryanair's low fare
Ryanair Holdings PLC
18 April 2001
SUCCESS OF RYANAIR'S LOW FARES MEANS THE ERA OF RIP-OFF AIR FARES IN BELGIUM
IS OVER
Bienvenue Ryanair et tariff bas - au revoir Sabena et l'arnaque
Ryanair, Europe's largest low fares airline - today revealed details of the
continuing success of its first Continental European base at Brussels
Charleroi. On the occasion of a photocall to highlight that the era of
Sabena's high fares monopoly in Belgium is over, Ryanair's Chief Executive,
Michael O'Leary briefed the media on the dramatic success of Ryanair's first
movement into Continental Europe.
Whilst the two based aircraft don't arrive in Charleroi until Thursday 26
April, Ryanair, revealed today that the advanced bookings across the six new
routes from Brussels to London, Glasgow, Pisa, Venice, Shannon and Carcassonne
in the South of France were now running at over 50% for the first month of
operation, and Ryanair expects that this figure will have risen to more than
60% by the date of the first flights on Thursday week.
This is the strongest rate of advance bookings Ryanair has ever experienced on
any new route launch and if maintained would indicate that Ryanair's services
to and from Brussels Charleroi will run at well over 70% for the first full
month of operation.
Welcoming these developments in Brussels today, Ryanair's Chief Executive,
Michael O'Leary said:
'The response to Ryanair's arrival with low fares here in Brussels and in
the wider Belgian market has been astonishing. The high rate of advanced
bookings shows just how fed up Brussels and Belgian consumers have been
with Sabena's high air fares monopoly. Now that Ryanair is offering not
just a choice, but guaranteeing to always sell them the lowest air fares,
traffic is booming, and we are confident that Brussels Charleroi, our
first new European base will be an outstanding success.
'This success is in large measure also due to the vision and support we
have received from Mr Serge Kubla and the Walloon government, as well as
our partners here at Brussels Charleroi Airport. Between us we have formed
an unbeatable team that is now bringing low fare competition and choice to
Belgium, and we are having a dramatic impact on job creation and inbound
tourism in the Charleroi and Belgian market.
'New jobs, new aircraft, new tourists and the guaranteed lowest fares
means that Ryanair will be good for Brussels Charleroi, and Brussels
Charleroi will be good for Ryanair. The Belgian consumers are now finding
out that if you want low fares - Sabena doesn't have any. So it is
'bienvenue Ryanair' and 'au revoir Sabena et l'arnaque'.'
ENDS. 18th April 2001
For further information please contact:
Pauline McAlester
Murray Consultants
Tel. 353-1-6633332
www.RYANAIR.COM - The low fares website
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