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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Ryanair to open Birmingham base | Ryanair to open Birmingham base |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Budget airline Ryanair has announced a new base at Birmingham International Airport. | Budget airline Ryanair has announced a new base at Birmingham International Airport. |
| Twenty-two destinations will be available from the airport as a result of a deal which was finalised late on Monday evening. | Twenty-two destinations will be available from the airport as a result of a deal which was finalised late on Monday evening. |
| Ryanair will base two aircraft in Birmingham initially, rising to 10 over the next five years. | Ryanair will base two aircraft in Birmingham initially, rising to 10 over the next five years. |
| It is estimated that an extra five million passengers will go through the airport in the next five years. | It is estimated that an extra five million passengers will go through the airport in the next five years. |
| 'Significant increase' | |
| Ryanair's head Michael O'Leary said: "Direct international routes are fundamental to the economic development of a city like Birmingham. | Ryanair's head Michael O'Leary said: "Direct international routes are fundamental to the economic development of a city like Birmingham. |
| "The people of the West Midlands can now look forward to Europe's guaranteed lowest fares and best punctuality on 22 international routes with Ryanair. | "The people of the West Midlands can now look forward to Europe's guaranteed lowest fares and best punctuality on 22 international routes with Ryanair. |
| "This route count will more than double as a result of Ryanair's $700m (£356m) investment in Birmingham, bringing with it a significant increase in European visitors and jobs for the West Midlands." | |
| The airline's spokesman Peter Sherrard said the airport had snatched the deal from "under the nose" of another UK airport. | |
| Among the routes the airline will offer will be flights to Spain, France, Italy, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Sweden and Denmark. |