Ryanair (FR, Dublin International) is shifting its focus to Central and Eastern Europe with a full on war with rival Wizz Air (W6, Budapest) a likely consequence. Ryanair’s Chief Marketing Officer, Kenny Jacobs, told bne IntelliNews in an interview earlier this month that the Irish LCC now wants more of the Romanian and Hungarian markets; two of Wizzair's biggest strongholds.

“We want more of the Romanian and Hungarian markets… so it’s going to be more Ryanair and Wizz going head to head,” he said. “It’s going to get harder [for Wizz], given our scale, our cost advantage, and our fare advantage; it’ll be an interesting scrap in the coming years.”

Ryanair will open bases in the Romanian cities of Timisoara and Bucharest Henri Coanda during the last quarter of the year with plans to begin domestic Romanian services as well.

Earlier this year, ch-aviation predicted the opening of both bases as well as another in Sofia, Bulgaria, another of Wizzair's key Eastern European conduits. In addition, ch-aviation analysis of schedule data has now revealed Ryanair is expected to announce Vilnius, Lithuania as another new base shortly.