DALLAS — Irish budget airline Ryanair (FR) has announced the addition of seven new routes from London to its winter 2023–24 schedule. In addition, the airline will be increasing frequencies on 30 existing routes, including Alicante, Athens, Bratislava, Cologne, and Faro.

The new routes from London will include flights to Treviso, in Italy, Vigo, in Spain, and Tirana, the capital of Albania. Other new destinations include Ouarzazate in Morocco, Poprad in Slovakia, and Basel in Switzerland. For those looking for a closer destination, FR now offers flights to Belfast, allowing passengers to hop over the Irish Sea for a beer.

These new flights will be departing from London Gatwick Airport (LGW), Luton Airport (LTN), or Stansted Aiport (STN), bringing the total number of routes from London to 162.

Ryanair's group chief executive, Michael O'Leary, expressed his pleasure at the new additions, stating, "Ryanair is pleased to add seven new routes this winter from London to Belfast, Basel, Poprad, Ouarzazate, Tirana, Treviso, and Vigo, as well as increased frequencies on another 30 winter sun and city break routes."

O'Leary also mentioned that he anticipates a decrease in demand due to the ongoing cost of living crisis. The CEO believes that fares, which rose rapidly after the pandemic, may decrease in the next six months.

Ryanair is expected to carry over 183 million passengers this year, compared to the pre-COVID number of 149 million. The airline recently finalized a 300-aircraft order with Boeing, which will help them achieve their goal of surpassing 300 million passengers.

Featured image: Ryanair 9H-QDK Boeing 737-800. Photo: Julian Schöpfer/Airways