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Ryanair Adds Slovakia In Central Europe Expansion
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Wednesday, 28 September 2005
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European low-cost airline Ryanair said on Tuesday it would start regular service from the Slovak capital Bratislava in two weeks in a move to further expand into growing eastern European markets.
Ryanair's Deputy Chief Executive Michael Cawley said the airline would open connections from Bratislava to Milan, London and Frankfurt.
"Response to these destinations was fantastic, we have registered 40,000 new reservations," Cawley told journalists in Bratislava.
Europe's largest no-frills airline said it planned to transport 400,000 passengers on its routes through Bratislava in the first year.
Cawley said the Irish-based airline was also considering adding destinations like Cyprus, Malta or Slovenia to further boost its expansion into the central and eastern European region.
The airline, competing with Slovakia-based carrier SkyEurope, said SkyEurope's position on the Slovak market was not important for Ryanair's activities in the region.
Bratislava Airport has benefited from SkyEurope's growth as passenger traffic soared by 57 percent in the first half of 2005 to 494,705 passengers.
The Slovak capital is also becoming an important alternative for budget airlines to Vienna Airport, located just 50 km (30 miles) away. source: Airwise News
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