Ryanair angry with UK tourist board

Airline Industry Information, Oct 12, 2004

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Irish low-cost carrier Ryanair has accused the UK tourist board of ignoring its contribution in bringing foreign tourists to the UK by favouring its competitors.

Ryanair, which is now Europe's biggest low-cost carrier, said that it was responsible for bringing an additional 850,000 European visitors to the UK in 2003, each of which spent an average of GBP150. The airline however is angry after Visit Britain, the UK's publicly funded tourist board, allegedly refused to engage in joint marketing schemes in European cities in which Ryanair is opening routes.

A spokesperson for the airline said that Visit Britain has always refused to do business with Ryanair despite working with its main rival easyJet and full service carriers American Airlines and Aer Lingus. The airline also accused it of spending too much money in long-haul destinations such as Japan.

Visit Britain said that it currently was focusing on reawakening the lucrative US market which has been in decline since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, reports The Guardian.

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