Irate O'Leary opens Glasgow facility

Ryanair today opened a new £10m (€15m) maintenance facility at Glasgow Prestwick International Airport - and boss Michael O'Leary took aim on Ayrshire Council during his opening speech.

The 4,000 square metres facility, which has been developed in partnership with The Scottish Executive, is Ryanair’s major aircraft service centre outside Ireland, and will employ up to 200 people in the next five years.

O’Leary said: "Unfortunately this £10m investment by Ryanair, creating up to 200 jobs, is already being highjacked by the "Longshanks" of Ayrshire Council, who have come up with a ludicrous rate demand of £111,000 (€166,000) – unlike other UK regions which were offering rate holidays for 10 years."

The abrasive Ryanair boss said the airline would halt all further job creation at the Glasgow facility "until this highway robbery is reversed".