Ryanair opens six new routes in Catalonia and recovers 2019 passenger numbers

Ryanair has good prospects for the Catalan market. It foresees a 4% growth in the number of passengers, up to 9.2 million, for all three airports where it operates: Barcelona, Girona, and Reus. This figure means returning to 2019 levels.

Part of this increase will come from the expansion of the routes it operates in Catalonia. Specifically, during the summer season, Ryanair will open six new routes, four from Barcelona-El Prat Josep Tarradellas Airport, and two from Girona. The new connections will link Barcelona with Frankfurt Hahn, La Palma, Lviv, and Perugia; and from Girona, with Helsinki and Nuremberg.

By airports, the projected growth for this summer has a greater weight in Barcelona, the airline's base in Catalonia, where it will operate with 14 aircraft, 71 routes ---20 more destinations than in 2019--- and expects to transport 7.8 million passengers. According to Ryanair sources, it generates 400 direct jobs at El Prat Airport.

In Girona, the Irish airline will have one aircraft based in the city, a total of 22 routes, 30 direct employees, and more than one million passengers. While in Reus, the company will offer eleven routes and reach about 400,000 passengers.

The Director of Marketing and Digital, Dara Brady, has estimated Ryanair's assets in Catalonia at 1.5 billion, with a total of 15 aircraft based in the territory.

At Barcelona airport, it will operate with 14 aircraft and 71 routes, with 20 more destinations than in 2019

"Spain must remain competitive," said Brady, as it is a very important market for Ryanair, and recalled that we are at a very complicated time when all countries want to recover tourism and are putting incentives to attract airlines.