Customers from all over Europe are booking their summer holidays in Portugal, with British, French, German and Italian families being among the most eager to fly to Faro, Lisbon, Porto, Ponta Delgada and Terceira, according to Ryanair.

Ryanair's summer 2021 schedule in Portugal offers more than 600 weekly flights across 122 routes, including three new routes between Lisbon and Cologne (2 weekly flights), Faro and Belfast City (with daily flights), as well as Faro and Teesside ( 2 daily flights).

With an investment of more than US$2 billion in aircraft at its four Portuguese bases, Ryanair continues to invest in connectivity, in creating jobs and in transporting tourists to Portugal throughout the year. Additionally, Ryanair believes that successful vaccination across Europe will contribute to the recovery of tourism and employment in Portugal after the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Ryanair is extremely proud of its enormous contribution to Portuguese tourism, which allows millions of citizens to benefit from the airline's low fares and the economic growth they bring to the regions, creating thousands of jobs and contributing to the recovery of the tourism. With Lisbon at full capacity, Ryanair appeals to the Portuguese government to open Montijo airport, allowing Ryanair to invest in new aircraft and create thousands of additional jobs”, says a statement from Ryanair.

Ryanair Group CEO Michael O'Leary said: "Portugal is Europe's best tourist destination, so it's no surprise that it's one of the fastest recovering markets across Ryanair's network. We're thrilled to be transporting thousands of European families to the beaches and cities of Faro, Ponta Delgada, Terceira, Lisbon and Porto this summer, which will be crucial to Portugal's rapid post-Covid recovery.

“While TAP absorbs more than 3 billion euros in state aid but reduces the fleet, employment and air traffic, Ryanair, without state aid, is increasing routes, traffic and employment in Portugal, at the same time which pays more than 130 million euros annually in government taxes and fees in Portugal. It is imperative that the Portuguese Government urgently opens Montijo airport to increase capacity at a time when Portugal needs to recover traffic and connectivity lost by TAP and the pandemic. Ryanair will continue to grow and create thousands of additional jobs, while Portuguese citizens benefit from even more options and lower fares from Portugal”.