[*]RYANAIR ANNOUNCES FURTHER CUTS AT EDINBURGH AS BAA FAILS TO OFFER COMPETITIVE COSTS
8 ROUTES, 500,000 PASSENGERS & 500 JOBS LOST AT EDINBURGH

RYANAIR, the world’s favourite airline, today (12 April) announced further cuts at its Edinburgh base with the closure of 8 routes and 60 weekly flights from October 2012 as BAA Edinburgh refuses to offer a competitive cost base for more Ryanair growth.

Ryanair’s Edinburgh traffic will now fall by 500,000 pax per annum (from 1.8m to 1.3m) passengers), leading to the loss of up to 500 “on-site” jobs according to ACI figures.

Today’s route cuts (to Bratislava, Bremen, Frankfurt, Fuerteventura, Gothenburg, Kaunas, Lodz and Poznan) follow the closure of 5 routes from Ryanair’s Edinburgh summer schedule and Ryanair warned that deeper cuts to its winter schedule may be inevitable if BAA Edinburgh fails to agree an extension its 5 year base agreement (which expires in Oct 2012) on more competitive terms. The BAA’s failure to secure a long-term growth deal, with Europe’s largest airline, is further proof that the BAA has no interest in securing the future of Scottish tourism, traffic and jobs as it artificially increases charges in the hope of making a killing on the sale of the airport for its Spanish shareholders.

These latest Edinburgh cuts become effective in October 2012 for the Ryanair winter schedule, and include:

• From 25 to 17 winter routes (down 32%).
  
• From 168 to 108 weekly flights (down 36%).
  
• From 1.8M to under 1.3M pax p.a (down 28%).
  
• Cuts on 10 other routes
  
• The loss of 500,000 pax p.a. and 500 “on-site” jobs at Edinburgh Airport.

Ryanair regrets these cuts and confirms that they can be reversed if a competitive and realistic cost offer becomes available from BAA Edinburgh.

In Edinburgh today, Michael Cawley said:

“Ryanair regrets BAA Edinburgh Airport’s rejection of our proposals for a competitive cost base which would allow Ryanair to further grow our traffic and routes for winter 2012 and beyond. Sadly, BAA Edinburgh seems to prefer higher costs, even if it means fewer passengers and jobs at Edinburgh.

“While Ryanair remains committed to Edinburgh Airport (with 1.3m passengers and 17 routes this winter, we remain one of the largest airlines operating to/from Edinburgh), the BAA Edinburgh monopoly cannot continue to ignore the competitive marketplace, where airports all over the UK and Europe have been reducing costs and lowering charges in return for traffic growth. We hope there is a way to reverse these cuts to ensure further Ryanair growth at Edinburgh.”

Ryanair, 12 April 2012

5 ROUTES, 300,000 PASSENGERS & 300 JOBS LOST BY BAA’S HIGH CHARGES

Ryanair, the world’s favourite airline, today (21st Feb) announced that it would cut its base at Edinburgh from 7 to 6 aircraft, with the loss of 5 routes, 300,000 pax p.a., leading to the loss of up to 300 jobs, following the breakdown of negotiations with the high cost BAA Edinburgh about a competitive cost base for further Ryanair growth at Edinburgh. Ryanair also warned that BAA Edinburgh’s high cost base will lead to significant further cuts in Ryanair’s operation, if its 5 year agreement (which expires in Oct 2012) is not extended on more competitive terms.

These cuts at Edinburgh Airport (including the closure of Berlin, Malmo, Murcia, Ibiza and Tallinn routes) become effective for the summer 2012 schedule (starting April) and will include:

· From 7 to 6 base aircraft (down 15%).
· From 40 to 35 routes (down 13%).
· From 140 to 110 weekly flights (down 21%).
· From 1.8M to under 1.5M pax p.a (down 16%).
· This loss of 300,000 pax p.a. will sustain 300 fewer jobs at Edinburgh Airport.

Ryanair will continue its negotiations with BAA Edinburgh to try to extend its five year agreement on a competitive basis from October 2012, but warned that if these negotiations are unsuccessful, then there will be further significant aircraft, route, traffic and jobs cuts announced at Edinburgh from winter 2012 onwards.

Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary said:

“Ryanair regrets BAA Edinburgh Airport’s rejection of our proposals for a competitive cost base which would allow Ryanair to further grow our traffic and routes for summer 2012. Sadly BAA Edinburgh seems to prefer higher costs, even if it means fewer passengers and jobs at Edinburgh.

“While Ryanair remains committed to Edinburgh Airport (and with 1.5m passengers and 35 routes, we continue to be one of the largest airlines operating to/from Edinburgh), BAA Edinburgh cannot continue to ignore the competitive marketplace, where airports all over the UK and Europe have been reducing costs and lowering charges in return for traffic growth. We hope even at this late stage that BAA Edinburgh will realise that the way to grow traffic and jobs is by working with Ryanair to lower passengers fares, not raise them.”

Ryanair 21/02/2012

BSCA confirmed today the start of a new Ryanair route to Warsaw Modlin. Flights will start as of the opening of the new Polish airport on July 16th 2012.

This brings the total number of Ryanair routes to 80 for the upcoming summer season.

CRL-WMI Mon,Tue, Thu, Sat 08:00-10:00 starts 16 Juy ‘12
Fri 17:45-19:45

WMI-CRL Mon,Tue, Thu, Sat 10:25-12:25
Fri 20:10-22:10

from 24.99€*, one way, Incl. taxes and charges. Subject to availability

The start of Ryanair flights to Warsaw increases the number of weekly connections between BSCA and the Polish city. Wizzair operates 7 weekly flights on the same route since 2004, therefor the total number of weekly departures will be 12 in total this Summer.

BSCA 8/02/2012

Ryanair Challenges Discriminatory EU261 Regulations in EU Courts in Strasbourg

RYANAIR ‘VOLCANIC ASH CASE’ SEEKS EQUAL TREATMENT FOR AIRLINES WITH FERRIES AND TRAINS, AND FAIR BURDEN SHARING BY GOVERNMENT AGENCIES

Ryanair, the world’s favourite airline, confirmed that its appeal will be heard at the EU Court of Justice (Strasbourg) today (9 Feb) into the current EU 261 regulations which Ryanair believes is discriminating and unfit for purpose as it places an unlimited right to care and / or compensation burden on airlines during the 2010 volcanic ash airspace closures, which led to 17 days of flight cancelations across Europe in Apr/May 2010, which were totally beyond the control of EU airlines.

In defending this test case, taken by a passenger who had travelled with Ryanair to Faro and became stranded for 9 days as a result of the unnecessary volcanic ash airspace closures, Ryanair is requesting the EU Court of Justice to decide:

•If the volcanic ash airspace closures were ‘extraordinary circumstances’.
•If airlines should have to compensate passengers for these “Act of God” cancelations when travel insurrance companies bear no liability.
•If the duty of care to airline passengers under EU261 should be capped in line with other forms of transport (road, rail and sea) to a monetary value and/or time duration.

Ryanair’s Stephen McNamara said:

“Ryanair believes that the current EU passenger rights legislation (Reg EU261) is both discriminatory and unfit for purpose as it does not place airlines on an equal footing with competing road, rail and sea transport providers. EU261 places an unlimited right to care and compensation liability on airlines, who have been made the insurer of last resort as insurance companies and governments evade any responsibility for these unforseen extraordinary “Act of God” events.

Ryanair believes that the right to care and compensation obligations of airlines should be brought into line with those of competing coach, rail and ferry providers who have monetary and time limits placed in their EU261 liability. Airlines should not have to shoulder unlimited liability for passenger costs for “Act of God” events which are entirely beyond their control when competing rail, coach and ferry operations enjoy limits on their obligations.”

Ryanair 9.02.2012

BRUSSELS, BUDAPEST, DUBLIN, LONDON, MILAN, OSLO, ROME & STOCKHOLM

Ryanair, the world’s favourite airline, today (8th Feb) announced it would open 8 routes from Warsaw to Brussels, Budapest, Dublin, London, Milan, Oslo, Rome and Stockholm as soon as Warsaw’s new Modlin airport opens on 16 July 2012. These 8 new Warsaw routes will deliver 700,000 passengers p.a. and create up to 700 local jobs at Modlin Airport.

Ryanair’s entry into Warsaw Modlin Airport will deliver much needed competition and substantially lower airfares than those offered by the high fare (loss making) airlines LOT and Wizzair, and Ryanair will celebrate its 8 new low fare Warsaw (Modlin) routes by releasing launch fares from €24.99/PLN99, which is less than half Wizz’s lowest fares to/from Warsaw in July 2012.

Ryanair’s 8 new Warsaw routes go on sale at one way fares from just €24.99/PLN99 on www.ryanair.com tomorrow.

In Warsaw, Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary said:

“Ryanair is pleased to announce our first 8 Warsaw routes to Brussels, Budapest, Dublin, London, Milan, Oslo, Rome and Stockholm when Warsaw Modlin airport opens on 16 July next. Ryanair’s 8 new Warsaw Modlin routes will deliver at least 700,000 passengers p.a. and sustain 700 local jobs. Now Polish consumers/ visitors can beat the recession and escape both LOT and Wizzair’s high fares by switching to Ryanair’s lowest fares and our no fuel surcharge guarantee flights to/ from Modlin Airport.

“To celebrate these 8 new Warsaw Modlin routes Ryanair is releasing launch fares from €24.99/PLN99, which is less than half Wizz’s lowest fares. These are available for booking until midnight Thursday (9th Feb). Since seats at these crazy low prices will be snapped up quickly, we urge passengers to book them immediately on www.ryanair.com.”

Ryanair, 8.02.2102