Ryanair expands in Norway

Budget airliner Ryanair have launched 16 new routes from Rygge airport outside Oslo.

The company will establish their first Norwegian base with routes to and from places like Dublin, Malaga and Paris.

Outspoken Ryanair-boss Michael O´Leary announced the new routes would start in March, whilst also taking the opportunity to slam the Norwegian government´s lack of focus on tourism.

Three aircraft will be stationed at Rygge airport, creating many new jobs both within the airline and the local community.

Ryanair´s first airport in Norway, Oslo Torp, will not lose it´s current routes, however O´Leary said it was unlikely the airport would get more routes in the future.

"We make money at Torp, so I see no reason to stop using the airport", O´Leary told Reiselivsavisen.

Ryanair´s new base, Moss airport Rygge, is located approximately one hour by train and just over an hour by car from Oslo.

These are the new destinations, scheduled to start March 2010:

Århus, Berlin (Schönefeldt), Düsseldorf (Weeze), Memmingen (München vest), Eindhoven, Gdansk, Krakow, Wrocklaw, La Rochelle, Paris (Beauvais), Dublin, Riga, Malaga, Palma de Mallorca, Valencia, and Venezia.