DUBLIN, Ireland, Nov. 22 (UPI) -- Dublin, Ireland-based low-fare carrier Ryanair said Monday it plans to add a flight hub and nine European routes out of Liverpool, England.
Ryanair, which flies out of John Lennon Airport in Liverpool, plans to invest $240 million in four new Boeing 737-800 aircraft to add a hub at Liverpool -- its 12th European hub -- with flights to Barcelona (Reus), Granada and Murcia in Spain; Limoges and Nimes in France; Venice and Pisa in Italy; and Cork and Shannon in Ireland.
With the additional routes Ryanair said it expects to carry 1.4 million passengers to and from Liverpool over the next 12 months.
Ryanair also announced new routes from Blackpool to Barcelona and Pisa to Barcelona.
The service additions will create about 1000 new jobs in the Liverpool area, Ryanair said.
"Our message to Easyjet is simple -- You can't match Ryanair's low fares and you can't match Ryanair's punctuality and customer service either," said Ryanair's Chief Executive Michael O'Leary.
