Birmingham chosen as Ryanair's 25th base

Ryanair has announced that Birmingham Airport has been chosen as its 25th European base.

The carrier said that it will initially base two Boeing 737 aircraft at the West Midlands hub, representing an investment of $140 million (£71 million).

Birmingham Airport passengers will benefit from access to 20 new routes provided by Ryanair, including five services to France, five flights to Italy and three new connections to Poland.

In the future, Ryanair will base a further eight Boeing planes at Birmingham, which will deliver five million passengers annually.

Michael O'Leary, chief executive of the airline, claimed that local travellers will be offered savings on ticket fares and also launched an attack on Ryanair's rivals operating from Birmingham.

"The people of Birmingham have been woefully underserved and overcharged by British Airways and Flybe's high fares for years," he said.

"Ryanair's new base will smash this high-fare stranglehold by delivering savings of £130 million next year for Birmingham's passengers and visitors."