PLANS for Bournemouth Airport’s main airline to fly all year round have been welcomed as a huge boost for the local economy.

Ryanair, which has not flown off-season routes for the past three years, announced yesterday that it will operate next winter.

Following a huge demand for summer flights the low-cost operator said it would be running six services – Lanzarote, Gran Canaria, Tenerife, Malaga, Alicante and Barcelona-Girona.

Tourism and business bosses have hailed the news as a big vote of confidence.

Mandy Payne, president of Bournemouth Chamber of Trade and Commerce, said: “It’s most definitely a welcome boost.

“If they are starting to put more flights on at that time of year it means they can see an economic development going on.”

In total there will be nine weekly outbound flights and 3,400 weekly seats. This year the airline says it expects to fly nearly 500,000 passengers in and out of Bournemouth.

Ryanair stopped flying from Bournemouth over the winter in 2010, blaming the government’s air passenger duty tax.

Stephen Bath, joint MD of Bath Travel, said: “It was obviously a terrible time for the airport when they left. It is very significant sign – another green shoot for the country’s economy.

“Ryanair coming back to Bournemouth is a tremendous indicator of economic recovery. They would not risk this if they were not sure it would work.

“I’m not surprised they are making this move now though. We are having our best year in five years.”

Bruce Grant-Braham, board member of the Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership and Poole Tourism Partnership chairman, said: “It’s a vote of confidence. Ryanair is one of those companies that goes where the business is and they have identified that the business is in Dorset.

“The airport has been rebuilt, but has been underused, and this goes some way to rewarding the money they have spent.”

Positive outlook for new routes

RYANAIR’S head of marketing, Lesley Kane, said: “Since we launched the spring/summer timetable back in March we have seen an increase and a strong demand for the flights.

“We have 16 routes this summer and we have seen a really strong demand which gives us a positive outlook for the winter.”

She could not give any long-term commitment beyond this winter, saying they needed to make sure it was successful for this year first.

“Hopefully it will be (successful) and we will be back on a year-long basis”, she added.

“We have a great relationship with the owners of Bournemouth airport – Manchester Airports Group – and we are looking to work with them to grow passengers.”

Paul Knight, managing director for Bournemouth Airport, said: “Ryanair has always performed strongly at Bournemouth so we are delighted that they are extending their summer schedule into winter.

“These extra flights will not only benefit our local passengers but will attract extra traffic from our wider catchment area as we look to increase passenger numbers and serve the South Coast market better in the winter season.”