more Ryanair

LONDON (Reuters) - Top European discount airline Ryanair RYA.I
ordered new planes worth more than $4 billion from Boeing Co. BA.N on
Thursday as part of an ambitious plan to double its passenger numbers
by 2012.

Dublin-based Ryanair, which aims to become Europe's largest airline in
seven years, said it had ordered 70 Boeing 737-800 aircraft and had
taken options to buy a further 70.

The no-frills airline plans to expand aggressively in Europe,
particularly in Spain and Italy, with its strategy of introducing low
fares after reaching near saturation in its core markets in Britain and
Ireland.