SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 6-K
Report of Foreign Private Issuer
Pursuant to Rule 13a-16 or 15d-16
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
For the month of November 2004
RYANAIR HOLDINGS PLC
(Translation of registrant's name into English)
c/o Ryanair Ltd Corporate Head Office
Dublin Airport
County Dublin Ireland
(Address of principal executive offices)
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual
reports under cover Form 20-F or Form 40-F.
Form 20-F..X.. Form 40-F.....
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant by furnishing the information
contained in this Form is also thereby furnishing the information to the
Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934.
Yes ..... No ..X..
If "Yes" is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to the registrant
in connection with Rule 12g3-2(b): 82- ________
RYANAIR INVESTS $240 MILLION IN SHANNON
NEW BASE TO DELIVER 2 MILLION PASSENGERS P.A.
TO CREATE OVER 2,000 NEW JOBS
Ryanair, Europe's No.1 low fares airline today (Tuesday, 30th November 2004)
unveiled Shannon Airport as its 12th major European Base. From May 3rd next
Ryanair will allocate up to four Boeing 737-800 series aircraft to Shannon, and
will operate a network of 14 low fare scheduled routes to the UK and Continental
Europe. Ryanair has guaranteed to deliver 1.3 million passengers in the first
year of this base, rising to 2 million passengers by year 5.
According to ACI figures, these 2m p.a. passengers will generate 2,000 new jobs
in the Shannon region, with the first 200 of these being direct Ryanair
employees (pilots, cabin crew, engineers etc) whose recruitment will begin
immediately.
The routes announced by Ryanair from Shannon include 6 UK destinations as well
as 8 European destinations, and all the new routes are launched at fares that
are at least half the price of the high fares presently charged by Aer Lingus
(or their equivalent) on European routes from Cork and Dublin. Shannon Airport
will now become the low fares airport of Ireland.
SHANNON TO UK Lowest Fare SHANNON TO EUROPE Lowest Fare
Glasgow (PIK)* EUR10 Barcelona (GRO) EUR25
Liverpool* EUR15 Brussels (CRL)* EUR15
London Luton EUR10 Dusseldorf (NRN) EUR20
London Gatwick EUR10 Frankfurt (HHN)* EUR30
London Stansted* EUR10 Hamburg (LBC) EUR20
Nottingham (EMA) EUR15 Milan (BGY) EUR25
Paris (BVA)* EUR15
Stockholm (NYO) EUR30
*Existing Route
Announcing this $240m base in Shannon, Ryanair's CEO, Michael O'Leary, said:
"This base revolutionises the future growth of Shannon Airport. It would
not have been possible without the vision and tenacity of the new
Shannon Airport Authority led by Chairman, Mr Pat Shanahan. In less than
two months since their appointment, the Board of Shannon has won this
biggest ever single investment in Irish tourism, despite intense
competition from seven other low cost European Airports. Had the
contract not been signed last week, these aircraft would have gone
instead to Italy to take up opportunities created by the collapse of
Volare. Instead Ryanair will invest $240 million in Shannon in the next
12 months and we have guaranteed to deliver 2 million passengers p.a.
within 5 years which is double Shannon's existing traffic. This new
traffic will lead to the creation of 2,000 new jobs here in the Shannon
region.
"Today's announcement vindicates the policy of former Minister for
Transport, Seamus Brennan, TD and the Government to break up the Aer
Rianta monopoly and allow Cork and Shannon Airports the freedom to
compete with Dublin. This new base will make Shannon Airport the low
cost gateway to Ireland and promote tourism access to Ireland's western
seaboard for UK and European visitors. We will use Ryanair's enormous
presence in Continental Europe to attract hundreds of thousands of
visitors to the West of Ireland on a year round basis. We look forward
to working closely with Tourism Ireland and the industry here in the
Mid-West to ensure that these visitors keep coming again and again.
"This new base means that passengers using Shannon Airport will now
enjoy air fares that are at least half the price of Aer Lingus (and
others) lowest air fares from Dublin and Cork to Europe. Dubliners will
now be forced to drive to Shannon for low fare access to Europe which
again shows the pressing need for Bertie Ahern's Government make a
decision on a competing second terminal at Dublin Airport. The new Board
at Shannon Airport have shown that enormous tourism and job growth is
possible if decisions are taken quickly. We call yet again on the
Taoiseach to put the interests of Irish consumers and tourism first, and
allow a competing second terminal to be built at Dublin Airport as a
matter of utmost urgency".
Ends. Tuesday, 30th November 2004
For further information please contact:
Paul Fitzsimmons Pauline McAlester
Ryanair Murray Consultants
Tel. 353-1-8121212 Tel. 353-1-4980300
Ryanair Shannon Prices are half that of Aer Lingus
Shannon Route Ryanair Price Competitor Price Routes (Operator)
London STN EUR10 EUR32.44 SNN-LHR (ALingus)
London LTN EUR10 EUR32.44 SNN-LHR (ALingus)
London LGW EUR10 EUR32.44 SNN-LHR (ALingus)
Glasgow PIK EUR10 EUR19.66 DUB-GLA (ALingus)
Liverpool EUR15 EUR29.50 ORK-MAN (BMIbaby)
Nottingham EUR15 EUR29.00 ORK-EMA (ALingus)
Paris BVA EUR15 EUR44.95 ORK-CDG (ALingus)
Brussels CRL EUR15 EUR39.66 DUB-BRU (ALingus)
Dusseldorf EUR20 EUR43.66 DUB-DUS (ALingus)
Frankfurt EUR30 EUR64.33 DUB-FRA (ALingus)
Hamburg EUR20 EUR39.66 DUB-HAM (ALingus)
Barcelona EUR25 EUR54.95 DUB-BCN (ALingus)
Milan EUR25 EUR50.00 DUB-MIL (ALingus)
Stockholm EUR30 EUR766.00 DUB-STO (SAS)
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, hereunto duly authorized.
RYANAIR HOLDINGS PLC
Date: 30 November 2004
By:___/s/ Howard Millar____
H Millar
Company Secretary & Finance Director