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Ryanair is going to make good on its threat to pull out of Cork and Shannon airports for the winter.
A specific date for the recall has not yet been given, but the airline said bases will be closed from the winter season, which they said begins in late October through March. “
Earlier this month, the airline told Transport Minister Eamon Ryan that it would close its Cork and Shannon bases from October 26 for the winter season if the government did not implement the EU traffic light system to allow the return of international air travel.
He told Mr Ryan that the Government should fully adopt the new EU travel list policy as of October 13, which would allow Irish citizens / visitors to travel by air without restrictions to and from those regions of Europe that They are classified by the European Center for Disease Control (ECDC) as green and / or amber.
Ryanair announced that it would reduce its winter capacity from 60% to 40% in response to the reduction in reservations for October-December, as flight restrictions have caused anticipated reservations in October to weaken slightly and materially for November and December.
The airline announced revised traffic figures for a total of 38 million passengers during the year, but warned that this could drop further if more restrictions are introduced and affect the EU government’s handling of air travel.
“While we deeply regret these winter time cuts, they have been imposed on us by government mismanagement of EU air travel,” said Ryanair Chief Executive Officer Michael O’Leary.
He added: “Our focus continues to be on keeping as long a schedule as we can sensibly operate to keep our aircraft, our pilots and our cabin crew up-to-date and employed while minimizing job losses.”
“It is inevitable, given the scale of these cuts, that we implement more unpaid leave and job-sharing this winter on those bases where we have agreed to reduce working time and pay, but this is a better short-term outcome than mass work. losses.”
O’Leary warned of more layoffs as a result of base closures, but predicted a recovery in short-haul air travel with the development of a Covid-19 vaccine.
“Unfortunately, there will be more layoffs at that small number of cabin crew bases, where we have not yet reached an agreement on working time and pay cuts, which is the only alternative.”
“We continue to actively manage our cost base to be prepared for the inevitable rebound and recovery of short-haul air travel in Europe once an effective Covid-19 vaccine is developed,” O’Leary said.
Speaking on RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland this morning, Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said the government cannot lift travel restrictions at a time of a global pandemic.
Coveney said Ryanair had assured him that the closures were a temporary decision and that if “some kind of normalcy” was returned, the centers could reopen.
It was understandable that airlines couldn’t fly planes without anyone on them, he said. “Thats the reality”. Coveney said he had registered Ireland on the EU’s Traffic Light travel system, which would be finalized at the cabinet meeting next Tuesday.
“We will try to make the trip as safe as possible.”
Conor Healy, CEO of Cork Chamber, said Ryanair’s decision puts Cork airport on the ropes and will be devastating for the staff affected directly and indirectly.
“This announcement is hugely damaging to regional and national connectivity and raises very real concerns regarding the ability of Cork airport to avoid closure without further direct financial support from the government other than that announced and received on Budget Day,” he said.
“A strong commitment to EU travel regulations and, more importantly, the ability to implement proactive travel testing without delay remains important and essential.”
Davy analysts Stephen Furlong and Ross Harvey described the revised passenger and capacity figures as “not a huge surprise given the current execution rate and while airlines hibernate capacity in the winter months.”
Ryanair served 23 destinations from Cork Airport and 13 locations from Shannon prior to the coronavirus outbreak.
The airline accounted for 81% of traffic at Cork Airport, which, prior to the impact of Covid-19, was the fastest growing in Ireland.
Ryanair also accounts for the largest share of passengers carried at Cork airport at 44%.
The decision could affect more than 100 pilots and cabin crew employed directly by the airline at the bases.
In addition to the base closures in Cork and Shannon, the Toulouse operation in France has also been closed for the five-month period.
Ryanair also announced major base cuts in Belgium, Germany, Spain, Portugal and Austria.
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