Ryanair expected to up the ante

It should be no surprise that Ryanair are taking advantage of the board room upheaval at easyJet where the airline's founder Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou is attempting to slow the airlines growth and has threatened to oust Chairman Sir Colin Chandler unless the latter agrees to appoint two non executive directors to the board.

The institutional investment community have given the move by Sir Stelios the thumbs down which has seen the share price fall by 13.5p to £2.66. The only winner in the continuing turmoil at easyJet will be Ryanair.

Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary will be in London tomorrow morning to host a press conference as a spoiler to easyJet's announcement of their year end results. Ryanair are expected to announce a new twice daily Gatwick-Alicante and daily Gatwick-Gerona service on easyJet's home turf. Ryanair currently do not operate from Gatwick to any airports other than the three Irish state airports. EasyJet have thirty five aircraft based at Gatwick.