Aer Rianta offers new routes

Aer Rianta announced new routes from Philadelphia to Dublin and Shannon and a new Dublin/Oslo service yesterday.

The airports authority said it had beaten off stiff opposition from other European airports for the US Airways routes in more than six months of negotiations and welcomed the arrival of another carrier on its transatlantic service. Aer Lingus, Delta and Continental already fly to destinations in the US.

Aer Rianta chairman Mr Noel Hanlon said: "These new services will strengthen passenger growth on the transatlantic route and are a direct result of the recently announced traffic incentive scheme at Aer Rianta's airports."

US Airways will commence the service next summer but has not yet given a precise start date. Mr Andrew Nocella, vice-president of planning and scheduling at the airline, said in a statement that the addition of a seasonal service to Ireland was an exciting step for US Airways. "We see a great deal of potential in the routes."

The routes were also welcomed by Tourism Ireland, which noted that transatlantic capacity had fallen 17 per cent since the September 11th attacks on New York and Washington.

Chief executive Mr Paul O'Toole noted that 35 US cities fed into the Philadelphia hub. "We are really excited at the opportunities that this new direct service will provide," he said.

Service on the Dublin/Oslo route will resume at the end of March with the arrival of Scandinavian Airlines subsidiary Braathens in Dublin offering flights three days a week. Scandinavian Airlines pulled out of the service in October 2001 as a result of the post-September 11th downturn in air travel.

Budget carrier Ryanair also announced a new Scandinavian route yesterday. The Irish carrier will operate flights from Frankfurt Hahn to Gothenburg in Sweden. Ryanair will also double the frequency of flights from London to Stockholm.

Ryanair chief executive Mr Michael O'Leary said the service would commence in February. It is the airline's fifteenth route from its German hub, its most successful on the Continent so far.

Mr O'Leary also said Ryanair would announce next week the location of its next European hub. He said he hoped it would be in Germany but that the decision would favour the airport offering the best facilities and costs. Two German airports are vying with one in Italy and one in Scandinavia for the business.

In any case, Mr O'Leary said Ryanair would open a new German hub by the end of 2004 at the latest.