Ryanair threatens to cut Stansted Airport flights

Airline Ryanair said it plans to cut the number of flights from Stansted Airport by 9%.

The announcement came as it emerged the airport had been sold to Manchester Airports Group for £1.5bn.

Ryanair said it would be reducing weekly operations from the Essex airport by more than 170 flights because of increased fees at Stansted.

Andrew Harrison, the new managing director of Stansted, said he looked forward to working with Ryanair.

The Irish low-cost carrier accounted for about 70% of Stansted's traffic in 2011.

Ryanair said a six per cent increase in fees at Stansted should be investigated by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

"Ryanair and other Stansted airlines now must ask was this surprise price increase part of a sweetener package to persuade MAG to pay £1.5bn for Stansted," Ryanair spokesman Robin Kiely said.

A spokesman for previous owners Heathrow Airport Holdings said because Stansted had been sold it was no longer in charge of the airport and would not comment.