Ryanair cuts flights due to ‘mismanagement of the return of air travel’
18 September 2020, 10:04
The budget airline said its capacity in October will be 40% of 2019 levels, compared with the 50% it previously announced.
Ryanair has announced it will further reduce its operations due to coronavirus travel restrictions.
The budget airline said its capacity in October will be 40% of 2019 levels, compared with the 50% it previously announced.
The firm said it expects to fill 70% of seats on its planes.
A Ryanair spokesperson said: “We are disappointed to reduce our October capacity from 50% of 2019 to 40%.
“However, as customer confidence is damaged by government mismanagement of Covid travel policies, many Ryanair customers are unable to travel for business or urgent family reasons without being subjected to defective 14-day quarantines.
“While it is too early yet to make final decisions on our winter schedule (from November to March), if current trends and EU governments’ mismanagement of the return of air travel and normal economic activity continue, then similar capacity cuts may be required across the winter period.”
Ryanair called on the Irish government to halt its “excessive and defective travel restrictions”, which include 14 days of self-isolation for arrivals.
Transport Minister Eamon Ryan “has kept Ireland locked up like North Korea since July 1”, the airline claimed.
The UK Government announced on Thursday that quarantine restrictions will be imposed on travellers from Slovenia and Guadeloupe from Saturday.
