Ryanair Launches New Winter Routes 2024: Milan Gets More, Bergamo Gets Less, and Michael O'Leary Wants Your Surcharges Gone!

Italy’s favourite airline (and let's be honest, probably its loudest) Ryanair has big plans for winter 2024! Like a chef tossing pizza dough into the air, Ryanair is launching 10 new routes from Milan Malpensa Airport, whisking travelers off to sun-drenched Fuerteventura, the ancient ruins of Athens, the festive squares of Budapest, and… wait for it… the winter wonders of Tallinn. Yes, Estonia! So, pack your thermals and sunscreen, because Ryanair’s got you covered—Mallorca to Marrakech and everywhere in between. The 10 new winter routes from Milan Malpensa Airport are to Athens, Budapest, Paris, Fuerteventura, Krakow, Mallorca, Marrakech, Reggio Calabria, Rzeszow, and Tallinn. 

If that wasn’t enough to get you rummaging through your sock drawer for your passport, Ryanair is also parking its eighth aircraft at Milan Malpensa. This move is set to boost their traffic by 10%, meaning 4.5 million eager passengers will be zipping around the continent, experiencing new cultures and, of course, Ryanair’s infamous legroom.

Bergamo's Bye-Bye to Seats

But not all Italian airports are basking in Ryanair’s wintery glow. Over at Milan Bergamo, it’s not all spritz and sunshine. Ryanair has decided to trim down its fleet there from 24 to 20 aircraft, causing a 5% decline in seat capacity. Why, you ask? Because Ryanair is redirecting its attention to airports that are friendlier to their bottom line (hey, it’s a business, folks).

Trieste & Reggio Calabria: The New Italian Darlings

With a twinkle in his eye, Michael O’Leary, Ryanair’s Group CEO, made it clear why Bergamo’s loss is Trieste and Reggio Calabria’s gain: municipal surcharges, baby! Airports in Friuli Venezia Giulia and Calabria have waved goodbye to these pesky fees, opening the floodgates to cheaper flights and more tourists—Ryanair tourists, to be specific.

O'Leary was quick to advocate for nationwide surcharge abolition, promising that if Italy ditches these charges at all its airports, Ryanair would happily throw $4 billion into the Italian economy. That’s right, 40 new aircraft, 250 new routes, and a whopping 1,500 jobs! In O’Leary’s words, "More planes, more jobs, and, of course, more of those iconic Ryanair announcements that you can barely understand over the crackle of the speaker."

Ryanair Launches New Winter Routes 2024

So, whether you're dreaming of Krakow’s medieval charm, Parisian cafes, or Reggio Calabria's southern Italian sunshine, Ryanair is making sure your winter is full of budget-friendly jet-setting. Just make sure you avoid the municipal surcharge. After all, O'Leary’s on a mission to make Italy surcharge-free, one flight at a time!

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