Ryanair to Keep Hub at Charleroi

Ryanair has promised to explore basing additional aircraft at Belgium's Charleroi airport, under a deal to renegotiate its controversial package of landing incentives from the local authority.

The Irish low-cost airline has agreed that its cut-price airport and handling charges will continue until traffic levels reach 2m passengers annually - at which point, ground handling will be thrown open to tender.

The local Walloon government will pass legislation requiring Ryanair's discounted arrangements to be open to other airlines.

The changes are part of an agreement to be put before the European Commission, which ruled in February that Ryanair's present package constituted illegal state aid.

If the deal is approved, Ryanair said it would safeguard 11 of its routes from Charleroi - although flights from the Belgian airport to London Stansted will still cease at the end of the month, as planned.

Ryanair chairman Michael O'Leary said: "We welcome this agreement which is good news for consumers and removes uncertainty and allows our low fare services to continue at Brussels Charleroi."