Ryanair to USA

[Iberia A340-600]

Due to be officially announced tomorrow by O'Leary during a quarterly results meeting.

Should be interesting to hear what New York airport the airline has in store.


Ryanair set for £8 flights to US
Budget airline Ryanair is to offer flights to the US for eight pounds, by buying planes from struggling rivals.

The plan will be revealed when chief executive Michael O'Leary announces the firm's quarterly results on Monday.

"Economy class will be very cheap, around 10 euros, but our business class will be very expensive," he said in a newspaper interview.

Ryanair's second quarter profits are expected to fall, due to higher fuel prices and its decision to cut fares.

Mr O'Leary is expected to announce plans to buy more than 50 extra aircraft, as part of plans to beat the recession by undercutting more expensive rivals.

"We'll just have to keep flying more aircraft, opening up more routes and offering people more cheap flights," Mr O'Leary said.

Profits down

The flights - which could begin by the end of next year - would be available for those booking early. Passengers would pay airport taxes on top of the fares.

The transatlantic flights are likely to go from Stansted and Dublin airports to New York, Florida, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Boston.

Meanwhile, it is expected that Ryanair's quarterly profits will drop significantly.

Royal Bank of Scotland is forecasting net earnings of 145m euros (£115m; $184m) for Ryanair for the second quarter, down from 260m euros last year.

While the oil price has come down lately, analysts say Ryanair is still suffering because it insured against changing fuel costs at too high a price.

Mr O'Leary has said he expected the airline to make a profit for the full year as long as oil stays below $70 a barrel.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/b ... 705169.stm (http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/business/7705169.stm)

Published: 2008/11/02 18:08:01 GMT

© BBC MMVIII

[Delta777LR]

hopefully JFK!

[Matt Molnar]

I just stayed up to hear O'Leary interviewed on Bloomberg Radio ahead of the markets opening in London...he seemed to downplay these new reports on their transatlantic plan, which he pointed out is the same plan they've had for a couple of years. The routes would be operated by a newly created sister company, not Ryanair itself. He's sure that they'll be able to get good deals on aircraft at this point, but sounded very unsure about where exactly they would get them, and said nothing about routes. We'll see if he says anything more solid later this morning.

[Jetinder]

If this happened it would be brilliant and for £8 ($10) i could fly to New York every weekend :)

From where i live it costs £7 off peak to travel to London, so £8 to travel 3500 miles to America sounds fantastic :)

[MarkLawrence]

I wonder what they will fly on the routes...Ryanair is a Boeing house - 757's? 767's?

[Matt Molnar]

Pretty short on new details.


He added that the transatlantic operation would fly into secondary airports in America.

For example at New York, flights would go not into John F Kennedy International but possibly into nearby Newark.

Mr O'Leary said that the transatlantic operation could see four to five aircraft based at eight to 10 European bases including London, Dublin, Rome and Frankfurt. With destinations flown to including Los Angeles, Florida and Denver in Colorado.

While economy fares could possibly be as low as £10, one-way business class fares would be around £1,000.
http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/new ... 88336.html (http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/ryanair-boss-airline-industry-needs-a-.htmlssion-988336.html)

And that's about it.

I did find this story on a British satire news site...

RYANAIR TO OFFER £8 TRANSATLANTIC S***FEST (http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/business/ryanair-to-offer-%A38-transatlantic-****fest-200811031370/)

RYANAIR is to become the first budget carrier to fly passengers to New York in utter misery for less than a tenner.

The airline said the new £8 service would bear all the s***ty hallmarks of a typically soul destroying Ryanair experience.

The in-flight meal will involve a catering box of Wotsits emptied into the aisle followed by an angry free-for-all.

But for an extra £10 passengers can upgrade to their own, individually wrapped, Kraft cheese single and a sachet of HP-style sauce. [Full Article (http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/business/ryanair-to-offer-%A38-transatlantic-****fest-200811031370/)]

[T-Bird76]

There's a good chance that ISP will be the winner with codesharing on WN. New gates have been installed at ISP and according the town they are for a new airline.

[T-Bird76]

If this happened it would be brilliant and for £8 ($10) i could fly to New York every weekend :)

From where i live it costs £7 off peak to travel to London, so £8 to travel 3500 miles to America sounds fantastic :)

With taxes you're looking at about 210 US dollars R/T. Still a good deal...but I'm sure they'll nickle and dime you on bags and what not.

[Iberia A340-600]

Can the runway at ISP handle a wide-body jet?

[moose135]

Gordon, Rwy 6/24, the longest at ISP is 7006x150. Do you really think they will bring a wide body? I don't know that I would expect anything bigger than a 757.

[Iberia A340-600]

Gordon, Rwy 6/24, the longest at ISP is 7006x150. Do you really think they will bring a wide body? I don't know that I would expect anything bigger than a 757.

They said they would be purchasing aircraft from rival airlines to operate these flights. With destinations in California and Florida in mind I think they would need an aircraft with more range then a 757.

[Matt Molnar]

I don't know that I would expect anything bigger than a 757.
Not so sure about that. I don't think there are very many 75s on the market, and as Gordon points out, they're planning some routes that are beyond a 75's range. I have a feeling their model will involve some old 767s or A330s.

[JetBlueAirwaysFan]

I'm guessing ISP as they have already approached them about it in the past.

A 767 could easily land at ISP, as 6/24 is very close to the length of LGA's runways. LGA has seen their fair share of 767s.

As for Florida here would be some possibilities: JAX, SFB, DAB, MLB (MLB, DAB, or SFB would account for Orlando, but the best choice is SFB), FLL, PBI. Can PIE Handle international flights?

[njgtr82]

A 767 could easily land at ISP, as 6/24 is very close to the length of LGA's runways. LGA has seen their fair share of 767s.

Yes but a 767 going to ATL or MIA needs less runway length then a 767 going across the Atlantic as it will be heavier.

[LGA777]

Can PIE Handle international flights?
Yes PIE, the airport code for St Petersburg/Clearwater International Airport has actually had limted charter nonstops to Europe in the past. But for Florida SFB would be my best guess for their first Florida station.

Regards

LGA777

[JetBlueAirwaysFan]

Yep, SFB is my best guess too.

[Lezam]

Wherever it is, $15 to cross the pond? Awesome.