Ryanair to create 1,000 jobs through expansion

The airline said Leeds Bradford airport will be a beneficiary as it is one of only two UK airports where it plans to expand this year, the other being Manchester.

An extra aircraft will go into Leeds Bradford this summer, bringing the total number to three.

There are typically 30 crew per aircraft including pilots, cabin crew and one or two engineers.

The Dublin-based operator said it will be hiring pilots, cabin crew engineers and sales and marketing staff as it increases its fleet from 270 to 305 aircraft in a move which will boost its 8,000-strong workforce by nearly 10 per cent.

The fleet expansion comes as it opens new bases in Billund in Denmark, Wroclaw in Poland, Palma in Spain, Paphos in Cyprus, and Manchester.

Ryanair posted profits of £467.5m in the six months to September 30, an increase of 20 per cent, as a 13 per cent rise in average fares helped offset a 37 per cent hike in fuel costs.