Ryanair Holdings says it has taken full control of LaudaMotion (Vienna). In a stock market disclosure, the Irish firm said it had completed the purchase of a 100% shareholding in LaudaMotion GmbH from NL Holdings in late December. As such, the Austrian carrier is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ryanair Holdings Plc, the group which owns Ryanair (FR, Dublin International), Ryanair Sun (Warsaw Modlin), and Ryanair UK (RK, London Stansted).
Prior to the move, Ryanair controlled 75% with Niki Lauda's NL Holdings controlling the remaining 25%.
In tandem with the move, Ryanair Holdings outlined its growth plans for LaudaMotion.
In terms of fleet, LaudaMotion will operate 25 aircraft during the upcoming Summer 2019 season, up from 19 the previous year. It will operate four bases with its main Vienna hub growing from four to eight aircraft, Düsseldorf growing to seven aircraft, Stuttgart Manfred Rommel to three aircraft, and Palma de Mallorca to two aircraft. During the Winter 2019/2020 season, Vienna will grow to 11 aircraft.
Ahead of the Summer 2020 season, LaudaMotion has also signed Letters of Intent (LOI) with various lessors to grow its fleet to 30 - all Airbus - aircraft. Ryanair anticipates this will allow LaudaMotion to grow its passenger throughput from 4 million in Year 1, to 6 million in Year 2 (i.e. Financial Year March 2020), and to 7.5 million in FY March 2021.
