Ryanair (FR, Dublin International) is set to announce plans to develop Milan Malpensa into its fifteenth Italian and second Milan base after Milan Bergamo.

According to the Eco di Bergamo newspaper, the Irish LCC will commence flights to London Stansted (3x daily), Madrid Barajas (daily), and Naples Capodichino (daily) this winter following an improvement in available capacity.

The move will put Ryanair into direct competition with rival easyJet (London Luton) which is currently Malpensa's largest budget airline offering services to fifty-one unique destinations across Europe, North Africa, and Israel.

Ryanair has attempted to enter Malpensa in the past though its proposals to use the airport's Terminal 1 were judged to be too low by airport operator SEA Aeroporti di Milano.