Ryanair Has Low-Cost Transatlantic Airline in the Works

Executives at Europe’s biggest low-cost carrier Ryanair are working on launching a transatlantic airline with a fleet of 30 to 50 long-haul aircraft in the next three to four years.

“We’ve been approached by a number of airports in the US who are very keen to see us start a long-haul, low-fare service and we’re working on plans to start flying the Atlantic,” Ryanair Chief Executive Michael O’Leary told reporters on Thursday during a flight from Dublin to Germany.

Mr. O’Leary, who repeated he plans to step down as head of the company in the next two to three years, said Ryanair would not invest the Irish-based company’s own money in the new airline, which would be a sister or associate company rather than part of Ryanair.

The new carrier would amass a fleet of up to 50 Airbus A350 or Boeing 787 midsized aircraft and serve destinations such as New York, Florida, Dallas and San Francisco from major Ryanair bases such as London, Dublin, Frankfurt and Barcelona.

Mr. O’Leary has raised the prospect of launching a long-haul airline in the past but never in such detail. He had previously said it would be restricted to a luxury service, which is where he believes most money is to be made on transatlantic routes.