page_title: French Connect
section_title: CONNECT background and origins
hierarchical_section_title: French Connect / CONNECT background and origins
caption_attribution_description: English: Michael O&#39;Leary (businessman), CEO announces a new Ryanair base in Marseille at the national aviation event of France, French Connect together with Karin Butot, MD of The Airport Agency
context_page_description: CONNECT Route Development Forum is a European event aimed at the aviation industry.
context_section_description: In 2004, under the name of French Connect, the first event was launched by Alistair Darling, the then UK Secretary of State for Transport and was hosted jointly by Manchester Airport and the recently branded Liverpool John Lennon Airport, which both desired to attract new airlines into their region. Shortly after the first event in Liverpool and Manchester, of the airlines who attended, Wizz Air launched new flights to Liverpool,  Jet2.com opened a new base at Manchester and Flybe commenced services to both airports.
  Each year, the event, now known as CONNECT, has grown to its present level of 550 delegates, and the event has now been hosted by 15 different international regions from Europe and beyond.
  CONNECT (formerly French Connect) was created and has been organised by The Airport Agency since its inception in 2003. The Airport Agency is a marketing communications business with clients including Aéroports de Paris, Bordeaux Airport and Marseille Provence Airport.
caption: Michael O'Leary, CEO announces a new Ryanair base in Marseille at the original event, French Connect, in Marseille, 2006, together with Karin Butot, MD of The Airport Agency
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