Ryanair brings cheap air fares to France

[21st March 2008]

Low cost airline Ryanair is launching its cheap flights in France and Germany as it continues to expand around Europe.

From the beginning of May Ryanair will operate four new flights a week from Beauvais airport about 50 miles north of Paris to Marignane airport near Marseilles. It is also launching new flights from Frankfurt to Berlin.

The budget airline says in a press statement: “For too long, French and German passengers have been forced to suffer Air France and Lufthansa’s high fares and fuel surcharges for the ‘privilege’ of air travel within their own countries. These new routes will slash the cost of domestic travel and will save French and German consumers over €26m per annum”.

As an opening offer, Ryanair has released 25,000 seats on the new routes for just €10 one way including taxes until midnight on 24 March. After this the average fare is likely to be around €25 to €30 one way.

“French and German passengers will now enjoy Ryanair’s guaranteed lowest fares within their own countries. 200,000 German passengers will save €20m p.a. and 60,000 French passengers will save €6m p.a. compared to Lufthansa and Air France’s high fares,” comments Ryanair spokesman, Peter Sherrard.

Rival low fares airline easyJet used to operate cheap flights from Paris Orly airport to Marseille but decided to axe the route in 2005. Ryanair will also face competition on the Paris to Marseille route from the TGV high speed trains that travel at up to 200mph and take only three hours to cover the 500 mile journey.

easyJet is the only budget airline currently offering domestic flights in France. Its budget flights include Paris to Biarritz, Nice and Toulouse, and Lyon to Biarritz, Bordeaux and Toulouse.