Jobs and travel boost for region as Ryanair to launch $200m base at Newcastle Airport

Newcastle International Airport is set to welcome a new base for a ‘major’ European airline next year.

Budget airline Ryanair has announced it will open a new base at the airport in 2022, including 12 new routes to destinations across Europe.

It is expected that the base, which will include two based aircraft representing a $200m investment, will directly create 60 jobs as well as supporting a further 400.

Creating 19 routes in total, the base will offer 12 new routes to Zadar, Paphos, Chania, Milan, Riga, Ibiza, Menorca, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Krakow.

Nick Jones, chief executive at Newcastle International Airport, commented: “Today’s announcement from Ryanair to base two aircraft at Newcastle International Airport for summer 2022 is very significant news for both the Airport and the region.

“Ryanair’s investment is a sign of growing confidence and will provide the North East public with a great selection of new destinations and extra weekly frequencies, providing more options for leisure and business travel.

“This will create new jobs for pilots, cabin crew and engineering alongside support services, and will generate economic value for the wider area.”

“We are delighted with the news and look forward to welcoming Ryanair, their crew and staff to their new home at Newcastle International Airport in the near future.”

Ryanair CEO, Eddie Wilson, added: “We are delighted to launch a new UK base, which represents a $200m investment at Newcastle.

“This development will create over 60 direct jobs and offer our UK customers a host of European hotspots to choose from next Summer, including popular destinations such as Paphos, Chania, Menorca, Ibiza and Zadar.

“We have seen massive demand for flights from Newcastle this summer as UK customers flock to the beaches of Spain and Portugal and now customers will have much wider choice next summer with the addition of these 12 new routes.”