Bradford holidaymakers look set to benefit from a price war between two major airline rivals at the region’s airport.

Low-cost airline Ryanair celebrated its new base at Leeds-Bradford International Airport yesterday. Jet2.com is already headquartered there.

The Irish company aims to attract a million passengers on board its 14 new routes from Leeds-Bradford in the first 12 months. Before setting up base there, Ryanair offered just a trio of routes from the airport.

Dara Brady, the firm’s deputy head, sales and marketing, said: “Ryanair is delighted to open its Leeds-Bradford base which offers passengers 17 routes in a total investment worth over £90 million. Ryanair’s Leeds-Bradford base will deliver one million passengers per annum and sustain 1,000 local jobs.

“To celebrate we are releasing one million £5 seats for travel in late April and May on over 500 Ryanair routes throughout Europe.”

Stephen McNamara, head of communications at the airline, said Ryanair was ready to at least match Jet2.com’s sale prices.

He said: “Overall we wouldn’t see Jet2 as competition. It’s a relatively small company. Last year Ryanair had 73 million passengers.

“We are committed to bring fares down and we are committed to offer the lowest fares at all airports. If Jet2 come out with a spring sale with 50 per cent off flights then we will match that.”

Leeds-Bradford is Ryanair’s 34th base. Two of its aircraft are now based there allowing the company to offer 63 weekly return flights.

Philip Meeson, boss of Jet2.com, was confident his company was well established in the region.

He said: “Jet2.com launched low-cost travel in Yorkshire seven years ago, pioneering great holiday destinations with fantastic value. We offer 38 exciting destinations from Leeds-Bradford Airport, including four brand new routes for 2010.

“Our customer feedback has shown us that the people of this region love our friendly low fares and our thoughtful touches.

“We are confident that our friendly service, great travel times and our wealth of fabulous destinations will continue to give the people of Yorkshire what they want at great prices.”

Tony Hallwood, the airport’s commercial director, said the two companies were not necessarily in direct competition.

He said: “Ryanair is operating seven brand new routes and there’s an untapped demand there that it will be satisfying.

“Of the 14 routes they are commencing, seven are replicated by Jet2. These routes are routes where at the moment there are opportunities of increasing capacity to these destinations, on a year round basis in certain cases.

“Customers tell us that because of a lack of capacity at some times they have to travel from Manchester and we don’t want that.”