Irish low-fares airline Ryanair will bring British Prime Minister Mr Tony Blair and his family to a south-of-France location on holidays, it has emerged.
It was originally thought Ryanair's budget carrier rival easyJet would bring the Blairs to France.
After weeks of free publicity for Luton-based easyJet, which scooped dozens of mentions in the national press on the back of Mr Blair's supposed booking, Downing Street insisted it had always been his intention to use Ryanair.
A spokesman said the Blairs would be travelling on a scheduled Ryanair flight to the south-west of France for the final leg of their summer break, following a stay in Mexico and a visit to the West Country.
They will travel with security staff but will be seated among ordinary members of the public, as Ryanair flights have no business or first-class seats.
The Blairs' destination in France was not named, but Ryanair flies twice a day from Stansted Airport in Essex to Carcassone for £125 return sterling or Biarritz for £170 return and once a day to Perpignan for £185.
PA