Ryanair (FR, Dublin International) is planning to change its current strategy of operating out of secondary European airports in favour of more primary metropolitan facilities in a bid to lure more customers. In an interview with German tourism magazine, FVW, Chief Marketing Officer, Kenny Jacobs, said Germany would be among the first countries where the LCC would hone its new strategy.
Among the first destinations to be affected are Hamburg Luebeck which will see its operations transferred to Hamburg Helmut Schmidt beginning winter this year. Heralding the move, Ryanair will introduce flights to Porto and Lisbon taking it into direct competition with TAP Portugal (Lisbon). However, at this point in time, Ryanair has yet to sign any contracts with either the airport's operator, FHG Flughafen Hamburg GmbH, or resident groundhandling firms.
