THE boss of finances airline Ryanair has mentioned Southampton Airport “isn’t prime of our checklist” for enlargement regardless of the deliberate extension of its runway subsequent yr.
However the Eastleigh airport says it’s “actively participating” with airways so as to add extra locations to its schedules.
Ryanair DAC chief government Eddie Wilson was talking at Bournemouth Airport, the place he had flown in to announce the Dorset website would get an additional plane and three new summer season locations.
Requested whether or not plans to increase the runway at Southampton Airport may tempt Ryanair to direct a few of its flights there, Mr Wilson mentioned: “If you’ve received a longtime enterprise and a longtime partnership and a longtime passenger base, you don’t transfer that – we have a tendency not to try this except the connection adjustments by way of value.
“We simply did an announcement in Bristol, an additional plane right here in Bournemouth and we’ve introduced a variety of routes into Newquay. There’s loads of room for enlargement, significantly in the event you’ve received great-value low fares, so Southampton isn’t prime of our checklist of what we’d or won’t do.
“We’ve received 234 airports. We’ve sufficient on our plate in the interim.”
Southampton Airport has its sights set on three million passengers a yr by 2029.
It plans to start out work on its longer runway in 2023 following a protracted authorized and planning battle. The transfer will permit bigger planes which may serve extra locations.
Steve Szalay, operations director of Southampton Airport, mentioned: “There’s a large urge for food for brand new routes from the south coast and we’re actively participating with airways to ship extra locations for our passengers.
“The runway extension venture resulting from get underway subsequent yr will make sure the airport delivers better connectivity for the individuals of Southampton and the broader area.”
The airport is anticipating workers numbers to rise from the present 700 to round 2,000 when it reaches its objective of three million passengers a yr, which it can not do earlier than 2029 underneath plans agreed with Eastleigh Borough Council.
