Irish low-cost airline Ryanair will start operating its first flights from Oradea, western Romania, in March 2017, the company announced on Tuesday.

Two new routes that will link Oradea to Barcelona Girona and Milan Bergamo will be operated twice a week starting March 26, and March 29 respectively. The airline expects the new routes to bring 60,000 passengers per year to Oradea Airport.

Tickets for these flights currently have promotional prices of EUR 19.99 for trips in April 2017. The promotion is valid until September 26.

Ryanair opened a new operation base in Timisoara at the beginning of September, and plans to inaugurate a new base in Bucharest in late-October. The airline has allotted three aircraft to the Bucharest base, which have required a USD 300 million investment. The airline aims to reach 1.9 million clients per year from the Romanian capital.

Ryanair carries 680,000 Romanians in the first half

Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com