Airline Code [RYR]
View More Ryanair News
Tags :UK, Ryanair
Ryanair and the Airport of Bologna have signed a multi-annual contract that will allow the airport to make significant inroads into the low-cost market, in accordance with the Industrial Plan, taking the low cost traffic quota for Bologna Airport to 30%, in line with the European average.
During the press conference, the Airport Chairman, Giuseppina Gualtieri, said: “With this agreement, the Airport will be able to fill the existing gap of low cost flights and pave the way for future development, making a vital contribution to the region's economy and giving a real boost to the influx of tourists; Bologna's role as a European gateway and central hub for Northern Italy has been consolidated.”
She went on to add that “It will have a significant impact on the territory: according to initial forecasts, if expected passenger growth-rates are reached, it will lead to the creation of seven thousand new jobs throughout the local economic system as well as approximately one billion euros per year in terms of direct and indirect commercial activities.” The company and its partners will host in late autumn a workshop on the role of airports in territorial development and the relevant strategies adopted by SAB.
The contract also allows the Airport to fully come into its own as a driving force for incoming tourism offering the territory new opportunities for growth.
The new contract stipulates a five-year time-frame which will be renewable for a further five years. Ryanair flights from Bologna will start on October 27th with seven new destinations: London Stansted, Dublin, Birmingham, Frankfurt Hahn, Brussels Charleroi, Barcelona Girona and Valencia. The number of routes will increase over five years to more than 25 destinations with five aircraft based in Bologna. The airport is predicted to grow from 700,000 new passengers in 2009 to two million passengers annually in 2013.
As pointed out by the General Manager, Armando Brunini, “This agreement, which complies with the rules of competition, marries development targets with sustainability targets and good business sense. We expect a significant positive impact particularly from the ‘non aeronautical’ benefits derived from the increase in the numbers of passengers.”
Lastly, SAB has emphasised that there is no conflict of interests with Forlì Airport: the company has always thought and acted with a view to developing the airport and takes it as a positive fact that Ryanair has kept a base of operations in Forlì.
(c) Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation. Date posted: 05-Aug-08 For in-depth analysis of the low cost airline sector worldwide, subscribe now to the peerless Peanuts! Weekly
|
Ryanair and Airport of Bologna signs multi-annual contract 
