RYANAIR have announced that they will continue flying from Prestwick next year.

The announcement comes after the budget airline revealed plans in July to transfer their flights to Dublin, Derry, Riga in Latvia and Warsaw, Wroclaw and Bydgoszcz in Poland, to Glasgow Airport from October.

Speculation since July’s announcement has centre around the possibility of Ryanair leaving the Scottish Government-owned airport.

Sixteen routes will be run from Prestwick next year – eight fewer than this year – with a total of 44 weekly return flights compared to 57 from Glasgow.

Making the announcement, Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary said: “Ryanair is pleased to be the first airline in Scotland to launch its 2015 summer schedule, with nine new Glasgow International routes to Bydgoszcz, Carcassonne, Chania, Derry, Dublin, London Stansted, Riga, Warsaw and Wroclaw and – just as important – 16 Glasgow Prestwick routes, which will deliver 1.35 million customers per annum to and from Glasgow.” South Scotland MSP Chic Brodie, added: “I was aware that they might be retaining flights at Prestwick and I think gradually there’s a realisation that Prestwick has a lot to offer.

“Increasingly people are showing much more interest in flying.

“The Scottish Airshow this weekend is set to attract 25,000 people and that, I’m sure, will benefit Prestwick and showcase what it has to offer.”