Ryanair launches Riga service

BUDGET airliner Ryanair announced its first route into eastern Europe today.

A one way trip to Riga, Latvia, will cost £17.99 including taxes, will take 2 hours and 35 minutes, and will be available from October 31 from London Stansted.

Sinead Finn, Ryanair's European sales and marketing manager, said at the central London launch: 'We got a low cost base deal in Riga. We are very aggressive when it comes to our airport deals and we go wherever the deals are good.'

Riga was one of eight new daily European routes from Stansted, including two to Spain, announced today.

The others are to Santander, beginning on September 20, and Zaragoza, from December 1, both for £17.99 one way.

Ryanair now has 104 low fare routes at 19 UK airports.