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Ryanair is one of the oldest and most successful low cost airlines in Europe. Started in 1985 as an independent Irish airline, Ryanair expanded to become the biggest carrier on the London-Ireland route. By the late 1990s, it was the biggest low cost airline in Europe. However, in 2002, rival easyJet overtook it to the top position. Ryanair's operations were based on the operational model of the most successful discounter of all time - the Dallas-based Southwest Airlines. Ryanair adopted most of the operational policies which made Southwest Airlines so successful. Along with an operational model to support its strategy of cost focus, the airline also made use of extensive, sometimes cheeky publicity, to make its brand more popular. By early 2003, the low cost airlines segment in Europe showed signs of consolidation. Ryanair and easyJet had emerged as the major players in the market. The positioning of the two airlines vis- a-vis each other also forms a part of the case.