Ryanair launches routes to iconic European cities for ?29.99 from …

Low-cost airline Ryanair is stepping up its efforts to get Londoners back on planes this summer, with nine routes using three brand new aircraft announced today (April 27) at Luton Airport. London’s fourth busiest airport is booming, thanks to the opening of a GBP290million rail shuttle enabling faster journeys into Central London – not only 32 minutes from the terminal. Ryanair reports that at Luton 100 per cent of pre-pandemic passenger numbers have now returned.

The exclusive routes include direct flights to Beziers, Bologna, Malta and Seville, with seats from GBP29.99 on the Ryanair website[1] for travel until July, joining 18 others from Luton. The airport, which is owned by Luton’s council, which re-invests profits into public services for the local community, welcomed the announcement saying it would help its “commitment to achieve Net Zero Carbon for airport emissions by 2040,” as the planes selected by Ryanair[2] (three Boeing 737-8200 Max Gamechangers) produce 16 per cent less CO2 emissions and 40 per cent less noise than conventional aircraft. Ryanair’s airline CEO Eddie Wilson told MyLondon: “Luton is going to increase its capacity and we see a major expansion in the London area – this is part of a growth strategy for us,” but insisted it did not mean its large base at Stansted would decline as a result.

He explained that Luton has become a more attractive investment proposition for the airline, given its now quicker for passengers to get to from Zone 1 than Stansted or Southend, adding: “I’m really impressed with the DART connection and the train times into London, and I think that makes Luton more competitive.” Through fares are available from 60 stations across London on Thameslink, which connects with the new DART shuttle train at Luton Airport Parkway from tomorrow (March 10) (Image: CGF PHOTOGRAPHY / Luton Rising)

Since a soft launch on March 10[4], followed by a full launch at the end of last month, travel between London and Luton Airport has been made easier because of a driverless shuttle train called the DART[5], which links Luton Airport Parkway station to the terminal[6]. This replaced a bendybus shuttle, which made an awkward transfer.

EMR has re-branded its non-stop trains between St Pancras and Luton Airport Parkway as the “Luton Airport Express”, and Thameslink[7] has stepped up its promotion of the airport link across its 60 stations in the capital. Thanks to Thameslink’s interchange[8] with Underground and Elizabeth line at Farringdon, most of the capital is within 90 minutes of the airport with a maximum of two changes. This summer Ryanair is operating over 140 weekly flights from the terminal in Bedfordshire to Alicante, Athens, Barcelona, Beziers (exclusive), Bologna (exclusive), Burgas, Bydgoszcz, Catania, Cork (exclusive), Dublin (exclusive), Faro, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Grenoble, Kaunas, Kerry (exclusive), Knock (exclusive), Krakow, Lanzarote, Lublin, Malaga, Malta (exclusive), Murcia, Naples, Rzeszow (exclusive), Seville (exclusive), Tenerife, Turin and Vilnius.

Jonathan Rayner, Luton Airport’s chief commercial officer, said: “Ryanair’s investment in these next generation aircraft is an exciting development that underlines its commitment to working sustainably with us.

We are looking forward to the busy summer months and our focus as ever is on delivering a simple and friendly passenger experience.” (Image: Callum Marius)

Mr Wilson said that across the network, passenger numbers are at around 130 per cent of pre-pandemic levels, with particular strength on very short haul and domestic routes, including the Stansted to Newquay (Cornwall) service recently re-launched.[9] Ryanair faces fierce competition on domestic routes this summer from other transport operators such as coach company Flixbus, which is offering GBP2 fares[10]. On short-haul international routes, its hoping its highly competitive flight times and lower prices will convince Londoners to opt for them than risk rail or road disruption, especially when crossing the Channel[11].

Have you travelled to Luton on the new DART shuttle? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below! If you have a transport-related story you think MyLondon should be covering, email [email protected]

References

1. ^ GBP29.99 on the Ryanair website (www.ryanair.com)
2. ^ Ryanair (www.mylondon.news)
3. ^ The London Underground day trips you need to make this summer that are all for under GBP10 (www.mylondon.news)
4. ^ a soft launch on March 10 (www.mylondon.news)
5. ^ a driverless shuttle train called the DART (www.mylondon.news)
6. ^ the terminal (www.mylondon.news)
7. ^ Thameslink (www.mylondon.news)
8. ^ interchange (www.mylondon.news)
9. ^ recently re-launched. (www.hertfordshiremercury.co.uk)
10. ^ coach company Flixbus, which is offering GBP2 fares (www.mylondon.news)
11. ^ crossing the Channel (www.mylondon.news)