Passengers profit from battle of the budget airline

Low-cost airline Buzz has run up the white flag and scrapped one of its much-trumpeted new routes after rival carrier Ryanair announced yesterday it would undercut fares to Glasgow by launching its own daily service to the city in the New Year.

And local consumers could also benefit from further aerial blood- letting in 2003, with Ryan-air currently in negotiations with 50 airports around Europe, and 13 new planes waiting in the wings to handle extra flights.

The Irish airline will consolidate its existing Bournemouth services to Dublin and Frankfurt-Hahn with the launch of daily flights to Glasgow Prestwick from February 6, with the majority of the 189 seats selling for just £9.99, one way.

Customers will have to book at least 14 days in advance to secure the cheap seats, but Ryanair chiefs expect to carry around 100,000 passengers in the first year alone.

But the deal has clipped the wings of Buzz, which starts a series of high-profile budget services from Bournemouth, starting at around £19, at the end of March.

One of the destinations, alongside the likes of Amsterdam and Malaga, was due to be Glasgow Prestwick, with two or three flights pencilled in each day.

But a spokeswoman told the Echo: "Although fully committed to maintaining and expanding our Bournemouth base, Ryanair's decision to fly the Prestwick route means it's no longer viable for us to do so.

"Passenger numbers on this route are just not large enough to sustain two low-cost airlines.

"If we have to withdraw from this route, so that we don't enter an unnecessary fight with Ryanair but plough our efforts into finding other destinations, then so be it."

Ryanair sales and marketing manager Sinead Finn said the competition was great news for the consumer.

"This is not a reaction to our competitors, but part of a strategy. We are talking to 50 airports in Europe about expansion, and Bournemouth is very important in our plans."