Ryanair provided Liverpool John Lennon Airport (JLA) with a boost today as it announced five routes for winter.

The airline, which is Liverpool’s largest with 41 routes, has been complaining vigourously about the effects of Air Passenger Duty (APD), which it describes it as “a tourism tax”.

It cut 40% of its winter capacity from Stansted Airport last week – due to a combination of APD and the costs of that airport – but will maintain full capacity from JLA this winter.

Ryanair’s new routes are Canary Islands’ Gran Canaria and Lanzarote, Rzeszow in Poland, and Bratislava, Slovakia.

It is reinstating its winter route to Faro, Portugal, and continuing summer routes to Kaunas, Lithuania, and Palma de Mallorca, Spain.

Although Ryanair is yet to finalise its winter schedule, which will see some seasonal cuts, today's announcement was good news for JLA.

Airport spokesperson Robin Tudor said: “Clearly it’s a tough time out there and Liverpool as an airport is not exempt.

“We are looking to grow the airport but at the moment a lot of our efforts are in maintaining existing business.

“Whilst Ryanair are one of the best-placed to ride out this period, so to see them put this commitment into the airport is very positive.”

Passenger numbers at JLA were down 14% year-on-year between January and June, although the second quarter of 2009 showed an improvement ahead of the crucial summer season.

Dara Brady, Ryanair’s deputy head of European sales and marketing, said: “Announcing five new destinations and maintaining our full capacity in Liverpool shows the relationship we have with Liverpool Airport.

“It will be one of the few places where we continue to do well and who continue to work with us.

“In Liverpool our growth has been pretty consistent and we are going to consolidate that.”