As travellers welcomed this week's news that easyJet plans to extend its budget service to flights between Israel and Manchester, there were signs that a third low cost airline would be landing at Ben-Gurion in the near future.

Ha'aretz's financial supplement reported this week that a senior executive from Ryanair had visited Israel just before Pesach for a meeting with the director-general of the Israel Civil Aviation Authority.

A Ryanair spokeswoman said it was the company's policy not to comment on speculation.

But if the Irish airline does decide to launch a service to Israel, it would become the third carrier to offer no-frills flights from this country and could set off a price war that would ease the cost for British travellers.

EasyJet's announcement this week that it was launching a new route between Manchester and Tel Aviv to add to its successful Luton-Ben Gurion flights has sparked a response from the north of England-based airline Jet2. It said this week that it was determined to maintain a service between Manchester and Israel.

EasyJet is offering flights between the two at a starting cost of £82.99 for a one-way ticket. From November, the carrier will offer year-round flights to Ben-Gurion from the northern hub airport.

Both easyJet and Jet2 launched their services to Israel in 2009.