Low cost airline Ryanair is announcing three new routes out of Liverpool John Lennon Airport as part of its summer 2024 schedule, creating 30 new jobs, in an £80m investment. Tony McDonough reports

Ryanair is adding three new routes to its summer 2024 schedule out of Liverpool John Lennon Airport (LJLA) taking the total to 32 in an investment worth £80m.

The three new routes are to Corfu, Lanzarote and Paphos. To support this 11% Liverpool traffic growth, Ryanair will base 1 new B737 aircraft for the summer bringing its total Liverpool fleet to five aircraft and creating more than 30 pilot and cabin crew jobs.

This announcement comes less than two weeks after Jet2 started operating out of LJLA for the first time with more than 20 new routes. It puts the airport on course to push through the 5m passengers barrier in 2024.

Dublin-based Ryanair has launched a “limited-time seat sale” with fares from just £19.99 available to book now at ryanair.com

Head of communications Jade Kirwan said: “Not only is our Liverpool summer ’24 schedule delivering more route choice at the lowest fares for your summer holidays but will see the creation of 30 new high paid jobs for pilots, cabin crew and engineers.

“The addition of this new aircraft brings Ryanair’s total Liverpool-based fleet to five aircraft, representing a $500m investment in Liverpool and supporting 1,600 local jobs.

“We look forward to welcoming millions more passengers onboard our first flights to/from Liverpool throughout the summer months ahead.”

In February 2023 Ryanair announced four new European routes out of Liverpool in an investment also worth £80m. This saw a 15% increase in overall capacity at LJLA by 15% in the summer months to 255 weekly flights. It took the total number of routes to 31.

This investment also included the creation of 30 new jobs out of Liverpool, including pilots and cabin crew. Those four routes were Ibiza, Madrid, Rome Ciampino and Shannon in Ireland.