Wrocław takes flight

He spoke with the WBJ about Wrocław's increasing popularity as a destination for both tourists and businesspeople, and the role the city will play in Ryanair's plans for the future.

Andrzej Wróbel: Wrocław is attracting more and more tourists, while at the same time low-cost airlines continue to add new connections to and from the city - which factor is driving which?

Tomasz Kułakowski: Low-cost routes are redrawing Europe's economic map, encouraging tourism to long-ignored areas and influencing where Europeans choose to live and work. Low-fare airlines have become the main catalyst for the revival of Europe's 'forgotten' regional economies. Wrocław was the first Polish city in Ryanair's network. Now this city, apart from Kraków, is Ryanair's most popular tourist destination in Central Europe. It's certainly thanks to Ryanair that Wrocław has become such a popular destination.

What impact does Wrocław's growing importance as a business hub have on Ryanair's connection offers?

Ryanair is the first choice airline for tourists. However, businesspeople who also want to avail themselves of the lowest fares and best customer service, i.e. punctuality, choose Ryanair. Wrocław becoming a business center will definitely create even more traffic on all of Ryanair's routes and this fact is also taken into consideration when the company is expanding its route network.

What are Ryanair's expectations concerning the number of passengers flying to and from Wrocław?

Ryanair currently operates four routes to Wrocław (from London, Nottingham, Dublin and Shannon) and this summer and autumn at least two more will commence: from Glasgow and Liverpool. In one full year of operations on these routes, Ryanair will carry at least 360,000 passengers. More routes should be announced soon.

How is Ryanair going to expand in Wrocław, as the operator's first Polish base?

The decision regarding establishing a base in Poland has not been made yet. However Wrocław, among others, is considered one of candidates which could host our aircraft. Boeing delivers 25 new aircraft to Ryanair every year and it should be just a matter of time - if all of Ryanair's requirements are met - before new bases are announced. However, Polish cities are competing with many regions across Europe.

Interviewed by
Andrzej Wróbel