Ryanair to cut Dublin flights as passenger traffic declines
IRISH airline Ryanair said it would cut its Dublin winter capacity by 15 per cent as passenger traffic falls, and again called for a tourist tax to be scrapped and airport charge increases to be reversed.
Europe’s biggest low-cost carrier will cut its Dublin base to 12 aircraft from 14 aircraft this winter and will operate less than 850 weekly flights from the airport compared to 1,000 last winter. The airline said it will switch these aircraft to other EU countries, which it said have reduced airport charges and scrapped government tourist taxes. Ireland imposed a €10 tourist tax last year.
The Dublin cut comes after Ryanair said last month it would cut UK winter capacity by 16 per cent from November, blaming the UK government’s Air Passenger Duty and adding the move would lower its costs and boost profits.
Speaking at a news conference, chief executive Michael O’Leary also said Ryanair would “hang on” to its shares in rival Aer Lingus, in which it has a 29.8 per cent stake.
“Unless somebody comes along and makes us a very generous offer for the Aer Lingus shares, we have every intention of holding on to them,” he said.
Ryanair has said it could still bid for Aer Lingus despite losing a legal challenge to a 2007 veto by EU regulators against its second attempt to buy its rival.