Ryanair confirms Palma base

Ryanair has confirmed plans for its 49th European base in Palma with 17 new routes for summer 2012.

All in the best possible taste: MOL at the PMI base launch - nine of the new routes are to destinations in the Baltic, Nordic and Central Europe and a three further domestic Spanish destinations, of which only two will compete with the airport's biggest carrier airberlin. Ryanair expects to raise €100,000 for charity from sales of its cabin crew calendar, which you can buy from here.

The expansion will see four aircraft based in Majorca running a total of 47 routes from next March.

The no-frills carrier claimed the move will deliver 2.8 million passengers a year and sustain up to 2,800 jobs on the island.

New routes will operate to Aarhus, Cork, Gothenburg, Haugesund, Kaunas, Krakow, Maastricht, Malaga, Magdeburg, Marseille, Oslo, Paris Beauvais, Poznan, Santander, Santiago, Stockholm, and Tampere, all of which go on sale from December 14.

In Palma, Ryanair’s CEO Michael O’Leary said: “Ryanair is delighted to announce Palma as our 49th base with a total of 47 routes on sale on www.ryanair.com from tomorrow for summer 2012. Now Palma consumers/visitors can beat the recession and escape both Air Europa and Air Berlin’s high fares by switching to Ryanair’s lowest fares and enjoy our no fuel surcharge guarantee to 47 exciting destinations. Ryanair’s traffic of 2.8m p.a. will sustain up to 2,800 jobs at Palma Airport and in the tourism industry on the island of Mallorca.”