Low-cost airline Ryanair was due to open its new base at Leeds-Bradford International Airport today, which is expected to create 1,000 jobs.

The move will see 14 new routes to six countries fly from the airport, in an investment worth more than £90 million.

The airline will offer 63 weekly return flights to and from the airport, which Tony Hallwood, commercial director of the airport, has described as a major milestone.

He said: “The £90 million investment is also going to be supporting and sustaining 1,000 jobs in the region over the length of the operation, so that is of critical importance, in terms of crew that will be employed to operate aircraft and the routes themselves.

“And, of course, jobs will be created throughout the region in terms of the growth in leisure and tourism opportunities.

“Basically the announcement is a major milestone for the airport itself and shows Ryanair’s commitment to investment in Yorkshire itself.

“It will really put Leeds and Bradford and the whole of Yorkshire region on the Ryanair map.

“It will quite naturally support a significant increase in the number of inbound tourism visitors to the region from the six countries that the flights are from.”

Ryanair has said the move is expected to increase the airline’s traffic at LBIA to one million passengers a year on the 14 new routes which are from France, Italy, Spain, Malta, Poland and Ireland.