This week Ryanair has has launched five new European routes out of Liverpool John Lennon Airport as it begins its winter schedule. Tony McDonough reports

Ryanair has this week launched five new routes from Liverpool John Lennon Airport as it kicks off its winter schedule.

In July, the Irish carrier’s director of commercial, Jason McGuinness, told LBN it was to begin 10 new European routes out of Liverpool, taking its total to more than 30. It included the five taking off for the first time this week.

All operating twice-weekly the new routes are to Milan Bergamo in Italy, Paris Beauvais in France, Stockholm Arlanda in Sweden, Tallinn in Estonia and Sibiu in Romania. Ryanair will operate 28 routes from Liverpool through the winter.

These new direct flights and the recent relaxing of travel restrictions, with the move to cheaper lateral flow COVID tests for passengers, gives people the opportunity to travel from Liverpool to a mix of destinations.

Robin Tudor, Liverpool John Lennon Airport’s head of PR, said: “We’re delighted to see Ryanair continue to capitalise on the opportunities available from Liverpool and further grow their business here.

“Ryanair continues to demonstrate its commitment to Liverpool and to passengers from across the North West and North Wales who can take advantage of the convenience of flying from Liverpool and jet off to a growing range of destinations as we continue to recover from the COVID pandemic.”

On Monday Ryanair says its expects annual losses to be as high as €200m despite seeing its first quarterly profit since before the pandemic. In the six months to September 30 its slashed losses to €48m from €411m in the same period last year – the height of the COVID pandemic.