• Ryanair Boeing 737
    Ryanair
    IATA/ICAO Code:
    FR/RYR
    Airline Type:
    Low-Cost Carrier
    Hub(s):
    Dublin Airport, London Stansted Airport, Milan Bergamo Airport
    Year Founded:
    1985
    Airline Group:
    Ryanair Group
    CEO:
    Eddie Wilson
    Country:
    Ireland

Ryanair has announced its largest-ever flight schedule from Krakow for summer 2022. The airline will launch scores of new routes and base eight aircraft in the Polish city.

Ryanair announces a significant expansion in Krakow

Ryanair Group airlines will operate their largest-ever schedule out of Krakow John Paul II International Airport (KRK) in Poland this summer.

In its usual manner, Ryanair announced this news as an $800 million investment. The figure comes from the value of the aircraft that will be based there.

The airline also claims its base in Krakow will account for 4,000 jobs locally. 420 of these are direct positions for pilots, cabin crew, and ground handling. The company estimates a further 3,450 indirect jobs will be created in Krakow as a direct result of its Krakow base.

Ryanair's summer 2022 schedule in Krakow includes:

  • An aircraft base of eight Boeing 737s
  • An incredible 73 routes, including ten new ones
  • 260 flights weekly

The ten new destinations out of Krakow are Agadir (AGA), Ancona (AOI), Berlin (BER), Budapest (BUD), Lille (LIL), Newcastle (NCL), Riga (RIX), Stockholm (ARN), Turin (TRN), and Olsztyn-Mazury (SZY).

Six of the eight aircraft that will be based in Krakow will be the environmentally-efficient Boeing B738-8200 “Gamechanger” aircraft. Ryanair advertises these as having four percent more seats, consuming 16% less fuel, and emitting 40% less noise.

The weekly total of 260 flights that Ryanair Group airlines will perform out of Krakow this summer represents an impressive 40% increase compared to the pre-pandemic 2019 summer.

This will be a much-needed boost for the tourist industry of Krakow, and it will also provide plenty of choice for Poles seeking to go on holiday this summer.

Ryanair Group - new Boeing 737 8-200
A number of carriers make up the Ryanair group of airlines. Photo: Ryanair

A celebrated partnership on both sides

Ryanair Group is the largest airline in Poland and in Krakow specifically. The airline that Ryanair deploys in this Polish city is Buzz.

However, other Ryanair Group airlines operate many flights to the airport as well, but out of different bases.

For example, Ryanair’s departures from Krakow today included

  • Edinburgh (EDI) with a Boeing 737 registered in Ireland that is based in the United Kingdom and operated by Ryanair
  • Pisa (PSA) with a Boeing 737 registered in Malta that is based in Italy and operated by Malta Air
  • Eindhoven (EIN) with a Boeing 737 MAX 8-200 registered in Poland that is based in Krakow and operated by Buzz
  • A few days ago, London Stansted (STN) was served by an Airbus A320 registered in Malta that is based in the United Kingdom and operated by Lauda Europe
  • Earlier this month, Manchester (MAN) was served by a Boeing 737 registered in the United Kingdom and operated by Ryanair UK
Buzz Livery, Boeing 737 MAX 200, Ryanair
Buzz is Ryanair's airline of choice in Poland. Photo: Getty Images

Celebrating the occasion, Radoslaw Wloszek, President of Kraków Airport, said:

“After the difficult time of the pandemic, passengers are now more likely to travel with Ryanair on their holidays to sunny and warm cities in Europe. We also invite everyone to Krakow as spring is the perfect time to discover the charms of the city and explore our region. Watching the passenger traffic at Krakow's airport increasing from week to week, we know for sure that the fascination and the joys of air travel have not stopped!”

What do you think about Ryanair's newest base in Poland? Let us know in the comments!