RYANAIR BOSS Michael O'Leary this week suggested that a sister operation could be launched within three years offering a no-frills transatlantic service.
O'Leary is looking at flying from up to nine bases in Europe and of offering cut-price flat-bed fares.
The plan hinges on the availability of planes at knock-down prices and with the industry in the toilet, cheap aircraft should soon be in plentiful supply.
O'Leary has always suggested that he would fly from the likes of Stansted and Frankfurt-Hahn to the east coast of the United States.
We understand, however, that Ryanair executives have also been visiting airports on the west coast, opening up the possibility of Los Angeles and San Francisco being served by this new carrier.
Sources tell us that Ryanair executives have had talks with Sacramento International Airport in northern California.
Sacramento is used by JetBlue, an American low-cost carrier that has a partnership with Aer Lingus.
Sacramento would no doubt welcome a Ryanair long-haul offshoot with open arms. It recently lost Hawaiian carrier Aloha from its schedules to the economic downturn.
Of course, O'Leary and Ryanair might not have to bother with launching a long-haul business.
Three years is the equivalent of a lifetime in the aviation industry. Given the current economic turbulence, who would bet against Aer Lingus being owned by Ryanair come 2011?
