Ryanair, Europe’s leading low cost airline, is considering the launch of low fare long-haul transatlantic services within three to four years in a move that could pose a serious competitive threat to the established European and US long-haul carriers.

A Ryanair spokesman said such an operation would be run separately from the Irish group’s existing European short-haul business but would fly from some of its existing bases around Europe to secondary airports in the US.