Ryanair has announced a major expansion across its Israel operations with the addition of 15 new routes.

The budget airline will operate seven new Tel Aviv routes to Baden Baden, Gdansk, Krakow, Milan Bergamo, Paphos, Poznan and Wroclaw. In addition, there will be eight new Eilat Ovda routes to Baden Baden, Berlin, Brussels Charleroi, Frankfurt Hahn, Gdansk, Milan Bergamo, Poznan and Warsaw.

The move adds to the airline’s existing routes from Israel to Bratislava, Budapest, Krakow and Kaunas.

Speaking in Tel Aviv, Ryanair’s David O’Brien said the airline was passing on lower fuel costs.

“We are pleased to launch our Israel winter 2017 schedule, which includes 19 routes including seven new Tel Aviv routes and eight new Eilat Ovda routes, which will go on sale in early February,” he said.

“We appreciate the tireless work of Minister Yariv Levin and his officials to bring tourist flights to Israel and establish Eilat as a viable alternative to competing sunshine destinations in Europe.

“We should of course acknowledge the vision of Transport Minister Yisrael Katz who championed Israel’s entry to Open Skies in 2013 resulting in a 30 per cent increase in flights to Tel Aviv in the last three years.”

Mr O’Brien said the airline would release seats for sale from Tel Aviv and Eilat Ovda from €20, which are available for booking until midnight on February 2nd.

Source: IrishTimes