Ryanair to increase Scottish flights

Budget airline Ryanair today said it would ramp up its number of flights from Dublin to Edinburgh and Prestwick next year as part of an expansion that could help to create 1,300 jobs in Ireland.

The Dublin-based carrier said it would add nine new European routes from April and double the number of flights to Edinburgh to eight a day. Daily services to Prestwick will rise from four to six.

Chief executive Michael O’Leary said the extra capacity comes as a “direct result” of the Irish government’s decision to scrap air passenger duty from April, and will help to boost passenger number from Ireland by more than one million.

He added: “We are also proud to confirm that we will create over 300 new direct jobs in Ryanair in Ireland in 2014 to crew our new aircraft and to help us roll out our very exciting growth plans.”

O’Leary said the extra passengers could also add more than 1,000 jobs at Dublin, Knock and Shannon airports.