SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 6-K
Report of Foreign Private Issuer
Pursuant to Rule 13a-16 or 15d-16
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
For the month of January, 2008
RYANAIR HOLDINGS PLC
(Translation of registrant's name into English)
c/o Ryanair Ltd Corporate Head Office
Dublin Airport
County Dublin Ireland
(Address of principal executive offices)
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual
reports under cover Form 20-F or Form 40-F.
Form 20-F..X.. Form 40-F.....
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant by furnishing the information
contained in this Form is also thereby furnishing the information to the
Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934.
Yes ..... No ..X..
If "Yes" is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to the registrant
in connection with Rule 12g3-2(b): 82- ________
BIRMINGHAM BECOMES RYANAIR'S 25th BASE
$700M INVESTMENT TO DELIVER 5M PAX P.A. AND 5,000 JOBS
Ryanair, Europe's largest low fares airline today (Tuesday, 15th January 2008)
announced its 25th European base in Birmingham with an initial two Boeing
737-800 aircraft ($140m investment) which will deliver 20 new routes from
Birmingham to Denmark (1), France (5), Italy (5), Norway (1), Poland (3),
Portugal (1), Slovakia (1), Spain (2) and Sweden (1). This will be followed by a
further 8 Boeing 737-800 aircraft ($560m investment) which will deliver 5
million passengers annually, a visitor spend of GBP400m p.a. and sustain 5,000
jobs in the West Midlands.
+----------------------------+---------------------------+-------------+
| DESTINATION | STARTS | FARE |
+----------------------------+---------------------------+-------------+
| Barcelona | 1 April | GBP24 |
+----------------------------+---------------------------+-------------+
| Biarritz | 1 July | GBP24 |
+----------------------------+---------------------------+-------------+
| Billund | 17 June | GBP24 |
+----------------------------+---------------------------+-------------+
| Bologna | 20 June | GBP24 |
+----------------------------+---------------------------+-------------+
| Bratislava | 1 July | GBP24 |
+----------------------------+---------------------------+-------------+
| Bydgoszcz | 4 July | GBP24 |
+----------------------------+---------------------------+-------------+
| Dinard | 17 June | GBP24 |
+----------------------------+---------------------------+-------------+
| Dublin | Operating | GBP10 |
+----------------------------+---------------------------+-------------+
| Gdansk | 1 July | GBP24 |
+----------------------------+---------------------------+-------------+
| Marseille | 1 May | GBP24 |
+----------------------------+---------------------------+-------------+
| Olbia | 4 July | GBP24 |
+----------------------------+---------------------------+-------------+
| Oslo | 17 June | GBP24 |
+----------------------------+---------------------------+-------------+
| Perpignan | 2 July | GBP24 |
+----------------------------+---------------------------+-------------+
| Pisa | 4 April | GBP24 |
+----------------------------+---------------------------+-------------+
| Poitiers | 17 June | GBP24 |
+----------------------------+---------------------------+-------------+
| Porto | 20 June | GBP24 |
+----------------------------+---------------------------+-------------+
| Shannon | Operating | GBP 5 |
+----------------------------+---------------------------+-------------+
| Stockholm | 2 July | GBP24 |
+----------------------------+---------------------------+-------------+
| Trieste | 18 June | GBP24 |
+----------------------------+---------------------------+-------------+
| Reus | 18 June | GBP24 |
+----------------------------+---------------------------+-------------+
| Rzeszow | 18 June | GBP24 |
+----------------------------+---------------------------+-------------+
| Trapani | 2 July | GBP24 |
+----------------------------+---------------------------+-------------+
Announcing Ryanair's 25th base in Birmingham, Michael O'Leary said:
"The people of Birmingham have been woefully underserved and
overcharged by British Airways and Flybe's high fares for years. Ryanair's
new base will smash this high fare stranglehold by delivering savings of
GBP130m next year for Birmingham's passengers / visitors.
"Direct international routes are fundamental to the economic
development of a city like Birmingham and the people of the West Midlands
can now look forward to Europe's guaranteed lowest fares and best
punctuality on 22 international routes with Ryanair. This route count will
more than double as a result of Ryanair's $700m investment in Birmingham,
bringing with it a significant increase in European visitors and jobs for
the West Midlands
"To celebrate the launch of our new base, we are offering all
passengers who buy a return flight on any route from Birmingham (before
midnight on Thursday) a free bonus flight, (no taxes, no fees and no
charges*) for travel in February to Dublin or Shannon from Birmingham. This
special offer must end midnight Thursday so we advise passengers to book
their bargain seats today on www.ryanair.com".
*See www.ryanair.com for details
Ends. Tuesday, 15th January 2008
For further information:
Peter Sherrard - Ryanair Pauline McAlester - Murray Consultants
Tel: 00 353 1 812 1228 Tel: 00 353 1 4980 300
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, hereunto duly authorized.
RYANAIR HOLDINGS PLC
Date: 15 January, 2008
By:___/s/ James Callaghan____
James Callaghan
Company Secretary & Finance Director