DUBLIN (Reuters) - European budget airline Ryanair (I:RYA) has no plans to directly operate transatlantic flights, it said on Thursday, but a source with knowledge of matter said the company was still considering establishing a sister company to fly to North America.
Ryanair Chief Executive Michael O'Leary has long discussed the possibility of operating a long-haul service but has said it would have to be run separately to succeed, allowing Ryanair to remain focused on its low-cost, short-haul business.
Responding to widespread newspaper reports that its board had approved plans to launch transatlantic flights, Ryanair said in a statement that the board, "has not considered or approved any transatlantic project and does not intend to do so."
However, this position did not rule out the possibility of Ryanair establishing a separate company at some time in the future to provide transatlantic services, the source said.