Ryanair launches first Kerry-Dublin flight

Ryanair launched its first flight on the Kerry-Dublin route this morning when a Boeing 737-800 series jet departed Kerry at 6.25am and landed in Dublin at 7.05am.

Ryanair’s chief executive, Michael O’Leary joined the 60 other passengers on board and offered each a free cup of tea or coffee.

Mr O’Leary used the Kerry-Dublin inaugural flight to again call on Kerry Airport to lower its high charges on the Kerry-Dublin route.

Ryanair has written to the Board of Kerry Airport offering to put in the same low fares on the Kerry-Dublin route as it presently offers on the Kerry-Frankfurt and London routes, if Kerry Airport will reciprocate by offering Ryanair the same low costs.

Michael O’Leary said: "We are calling on the Board of Kerry Airport to lower the airport costs on the Dublin route and make them similar to the costs which prevail on our Frankfurt and London routes.

"If they do, then Ryanair will respond by offering lower fares on the Kerry-Dublin service, which we believe could deliver a trebling of traffic from the hundred thousand or so carried by Aer Arann, up to over 300,000 being carried by Ryanair."