KAUNAS - Kaunas' airport expects that the Irish discount carrier, Ryanair, which has announced its intention to offer four routes from the city beginning next year, will revive passenger traffic at the airport.
Passenger numbers could hit a record 300,000 in 2006, thanks to the introduction of discount flights.
Currently the airport services an average of 320 Ryanair passengers per day.
In the first nine months of 2005, the airport serviced 39,000 passengers, though during the same period last year the number was 18,000.
Kestutis Cucenas, airport CEO, confirmed that the Irish budget carrier aims to add flights to Spain, Germany and Dublin next year, in addition to its current route to London, which was opened in September.
The future outlook for the Kaunas airport will be clarified in approximately a year, following completion of the feasibility study into the expansion of Lithuania's airports.
The study will assess the options for the upgrade of the airports in Kaunas and Vilnius, and the project of new airport construction.