Ryanair may go into competition with Aer Lingus and easyJet offering flights to continental destinations from Belfast. Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary said yesterday that the airline would consider extending its current services from George Best City Airport if the runway was extended by 200 metres. Dan Keenan, Northern News Editor, reports.

Aer Lingus and easyJet are based at Belfast International airport at Aldergrove outside Belfast.

Mr O'Leary was in Belfast to announce the start of services to London Stansted, the airline's main British hub. The airline has already announced services to Glasgow, East Midlands and Liverpool from Belfast.

Wearing a Northern Ireland soccer shirt, he claimed the new Boeing 737-800 series aircraft were the quietest and most fuel efficient available.

The extension of Ryanair's services from Belfast would not threaten those from City of Derry airport which serves the northwest including Co Donegal. He said he was sensitive to the fears of residents along the north Down coast which is under the flight path to the George Best Airport, but assured them his flights would offer less disruption than current services and would not fly later than 9.30pm.

"The airport made us aware of those issues during the negotiations last week. Not alone will the neighbours of Belfast City airport be delighted with Ryanair's low fares, I think they are also going to be delighted with the very quiet flights that we will be operating here." He forecast that the services would be extended in the near future subject to the lengthening of the tarmac.

"If the small runway extension for safety reasons is put in place you'll see more flights, more low fares and more European destinations as well." It is thought such destinations could include some of those served by Aer Lingus or easyJet from the city's main airport at Aldergrove.

Belfast City airport's chief executive Brian Ambrose said the news was "great for the economy and tourism in Northern Ireland". The airport envisages expansion to the point where more than four million passengers will be accommodated. It opened for commercial traffic in 1983 and the terminal building underwent a £21 million upgrade in June 2001.

Mr Ambrose said he estimated that the planning process associated with a proposed runway extension would take about six months. Construction would take a further six months.

He said the airport's existing boundaries included some 600 metres of available land towards Holywood, Co Down. He also stood by commitments not to introduce wide-body aircraft capable of serving long-haul destinations.

"We want to stick to narrow-body aircraft," he said. "But we want to fly them further."