Just a fun fact, Ryanair, Europes largest low cost carrier and second largest airline has its earliest beginings with the ATR 42 in the 80's/early 90's..

 

Full cockpit video of a Flight from Waterford ireland(EIWF) to London Stansted(EGSS)

 

Who'd have thought? They've done well despite all the bad publicity (which is actually probably good publicity).

When you say second largest, is that based on flights, aircraft or passenger numbers. Who is #1?

8 hours ago, Ian S said:

Who'd have thought? They've done well despite all the bad publicity (which is actually probably good publicity).

When you say second largest, is that based on flights, aircraft or passenger numbers. Who is #1?

Ryanair has had a interesting fleet in the early years. ATR was just one of them😃.

Lufthansa #1, IAG group is third, Wikipedia for the reference.

Actually I think Ryanair began operations with a single 15 seat Embraer 110 Bandeirante introduced in early 1985 which makes its rise to its current position even more spectacular! This was followed by 2 HS748s in 1986 and ATRs were added a few years later. My only flight ever in a Bandeirante was on a Ryanair Cardiff - Dublin flight on which I was the only passenger!

Bill

Edited May 16, 20197 yr by scianoir

I think they flew BAC-111's at one point.

4 hours ago, Holdit said:

I think they flew BAC-111's at one point.

They had a full wet lease of three of them from Tarom in 1987-1988 yes. And then another three 1988-1989. ATR42 came in 1989-1990.

6 hours ago, Holdit said:

I think they flew BAC-111's at one point.

They had a variety of 1-11s and even had some A320s on order at one stage although they never took delivery of the latter. The 1-11s and the smaller airliners however disappeared after the 'charismatic' MO'L was tasked with reversing the losses Ryanair had been suffering for a few years and the fleet was standardised on the 737, the airline initially acquiring used 737-200 aircraft mainly ex-Lufthansa examples. The rest, as they say, is history.

Bill