Ryanair Ltd. (/raɪə’ner/) is an Irish low-cost airline founded in 1984, headquartered in Swords, Dublin, Ireland, with its primary operational bases at Dublin and London Stansted airports. In 2016, Ryanair was the largest European airline by scheduled passengers flown, and carried more international passengers than any other airline. (ISEQ: RY4C, LSE: RYA, NASDAQ: RYAAY)
Ryanair operates 403 Boeing 737-800 aircraft, with a single 737-700 used primarily as a charter aircraft, but also as a backup plane and for pilot training. The airline has been characterised by its rapid expansion, a result of the deregulation of the aviation industry in Europe in 1997 and the success of its low-cost business model. Ryanair’s route network serves 34 countries in Europe, Africa (Morocco), and the Middle East (Israel).
