RIGA - Ryanair, Europe's leading low-fare airline, announced on Sept. 8 that it was giving away 20,000 international tickets in Latvia over the Internet, with winners only required to pay the airport tax of 9.51 lats (14.2 euros).
The ticket lottery was part of the Irish air carrier's promotional plan to distribute 3 million tickets throughout Europe.
The free ticket-booking race began at midnight on Sept. 9 and was scheduled to continue until midnight Sept. 16. However, on Sept. 13 the airline announced that it was extending the offer's deadline to midnight Sept. 20.
Passengers receiving the free tickets will be able to fly to London, Frankfurt or Tampere Oct. 31 's Jan. 31, 2005.
Ryanair entered the Latvian market this summer after the Transport Ministry and Riga International Airport agreed to cut passenger fees.
According to Lotta Lindquist'sBrosjo, Ryanair's manager in the Nordic and Baltic states, Latvian passengers have already booked 30,000 tickets on Ryanair flights from Riga.
"Our clients will have more opportunities," said Lindquist's Brosjo. "Ryanair's goal is to become a leading airline at Riga Airport."
The company official explained that the airline, which has been criticized for some of its policies, was able to distribute free tickets thanks to the Internet, their use of only one type of aircraft and arrival at secondary airports.
"When it comes to low fares in Europe 's Ryanair is number one. When it comes to no fares, we leave other airlines in our slipstream," said Michael Cawley, Ryanair's deputy CEO. "Other airlines pretend to offer low fares, but only Ryanair guarantees Europe's lowest fares and this fantastic free-seat sale."
Meanwhile, local competitors said they welcomed the competition.
"Every airline company has a right to do those kinds of marketing actions. Our company did the same last spring, when we were selling our tickets for 1 lat," commented Vija Dzerve, public relations manager for airBaltic airlines. "We are not afraid of the competition with Ryanair or other airline companies. AirBaltic is a well-known company and has its own constant passengers all over the world."
Cawley said that Ryanair would carry over 27.5 million passengers on 171 routes across 17 European countries this year.
So far this year airBaltic has boosted its share of Riga International Airport passengers from 47 percent to 53 percent.
