Ryanair celebrates 20 years at Newcastle International Airport

Ryanair marks 20 years of flying Newcastle International Airport with promotional fares from £19.99 to commemorate the milestone.

Staff at the Airport, along with Ryanair crew and passengers, celebrated the milestone this week with a performance from local Irish dancers and a water salute for the arriving aircraft.

The airline, famous for its low-fares, began flying from Newcastle to Dublin in 2003, just 17 days after the route was announced in December 2002. Since then Ryanair has significantly expanded their services from the North East’s largest Airport.

Last year, Ryanair opened a new base at Newcastle International Airport, giving North East holiday makers even more choice, adding 14 new Ryanair destinations including Ibiza, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Milan and Krakow.

This year, Ryanair will operate flights to 21 destinations from Newcastle, including Chania, Milan Bergamo, Riga and Zadar, with a new service to Shannon due to start in March 2023.

Since 2003, Ryanair has served over 5 million passengers to and from Newcastle. The airline remains a favourite amongst the North East travelling public, with low fares to top holiday and city break destinations.

This year up to 1 million passengers are expected to fly to and from Newcastle International Airport with Ryanair, including first time Ryanair passengers, Ben Carling and Lucy Fraser, who departed Newcastle for a weekend away and long-time Ryanair fans, Chris and Claire Anderson, who enjoyed the “convenient flight times” to meet relatives for a long weekend in Dublin.

Now with two based aircraft, Ryanair significantly contribute to the local economy, employing over 100 people at the region’s largest Airport.

Local lifelong Ryanair passenger turned pilot, Jamie Tipling, who began his career with a Ryanair pilot programme said:

“I am joining the Ryanair base team at Newcastle International Airport in February following the launch of the new Ryanair routes last year. With so much growth in the North East, Ryanair is a prominent airline at the Airport.”

Leon McQuaid, Director of Aviation Development at Newcastle International Airport said:

“What a great way to start 2023 by celebrating 20 years of partnership between Ryanair and Newcastle International Airport. This milestone and their recent investments including the addition of 14 new destinations to a total 21 destinations from Newcastle, demonstrates ongoing confidence in both the airport and region.”

Dara Brady, Ryanair’s Director of Digital & Marketing said:

“As the UK’s most reliable airline, Ryanair is delighted to celebrate 20 years of operations to/from Newcastle Airport where we are currently offering our North Eastern customers the greatest choice of destinations with over 20 to choose from in 2023. Ryanair is driving the UK’s economic recovery through our delivery of year-round tourism, regional investment and job creation and with such a vast selection of sunny hotspots and city break destinations to choose from, Newcastle holidaymakers can start booking their low fare summer holidays.”

“To mark 20 successful years of operations we are running a seat sale to/from Newcastle from £19.99 for travel until end of Apr’23, book by end Jan’23 only on www.ryanair.com”

Book your next Ryanair trip and enjoy fares from £19.99 if you book before the end of January at www.ryanair.com.