Ryanair to expand from UK hubs

Ryanair has announced a forthcoming expansion in its network that will bring new services to a number of UK airports.

The development, which the low-cost airline claimed will be its biggest ever single expansion, will lead to a total of 40 new routes this winter.

A dozen of these new connections will be available from the UK, including six services from Luton Airport and a new service between London Stansted and Madrid.

Travellers in other regions of the country will be able to catch new flights from Bristol Airport to Gdansk, Marrakech and Szczecin, and from Birmingham Airport to Frankfurt.

People in the north-west will be able to access a new route from Manchester Airport to Brussels.

Introducing the new flights, Bridget Dowling of Ryanair said: "Passengers at 12 European bases are set to benefit from our biggest ever single expansion, and these 40 new routes will ensure passenger savings of £150 million compared to the high fares levied by Europe's fuel surcharging flag carriers."

The announcement comes days after Ryanair said that it plans to ground 20 of its planes this winter to cut costs.