Birmingham Airport will keep two daily Ryanair flights to Dublin

The economy airline said the move was being made after what it described as a 100% increase in runway charges.

Ryanair will now offer three daily Dublin flights and daily flights to Girona and Murcia from the airport.

Birmingham Airport said its charges had not risen and that other airlines would continue to operate from Birmingham to the three locations.

Birmingham will keep two daily flights to Dublin on a route that has carried nearly three million passengers since 1993.

Airport's 'vision'

Ryanair deputy chief executive Michael Cawley said: "This reduction in operations is bad news for Birmingham but great news for Nottingham East Midlands Airport.

"By increasing its cost by 100%, Birmingham is denying its passengers the opportunity to take advantage of Ryanair's low fares.

"These flights will now operate from the lower cost airport of Nottingham East Midlands Airport, an airport that has embraced the Ryanair model and has the vision to see the growth and development potential that Ryanair will bring to their airport."

Mr Cawley said that introductory fares will include one-way rates of �17.99 to Dublin, �24.99 to Girona (Barcelona) and �29.99 to Murcia.

A spokesman for Birmingham Airport said: "Birmingham Airport has not increased its runway charges to Ryanair.

"Despite their decision to move operations elsewhere, other airlines will continue services to the same destinations."

He said rival low-cost carriers are preparing to add more daily flights to their schedules once slots filled by Ryanair become free.