79% Load Factor As Covid Vaccines See EU Recovery Begin
Ryanair Holdings plc today (2 June) released May traffic statistics as follows:
| 2020 | 2021 | Growth(1) | |
| Ryanair Group | 0.07m | 1.8m | – |
| Rolling Annual | 121.0m | 30.2m (72% LF) | -75% |
Ryanair operated over 12,000 flights in May with a 79% load factor.
(1) Ryanair carried 1.0m passengers in April 2021.
Ryanair, Europe’s no. 1 airline has today (1 June) called on Minister for Transport Grant Shapps to open up international travel from all EU countries in his next revision of the UK’s green list on 3rd June. Ryanair also urged Mr. Shapps to abolish travel restrictions for everyone that has been fully vaccinated and to scrap the current requirement to present a negative PCR test when coming back from EU green countries, which only adds cost and stress to UK citizens despite returning from low-risk EU destinations.
European holiday hotspots like Spain, Greece and Italy have already opened their doors to UK tourists – as UK adult vaccinations hit 75% and with the EU on track to hit the 70% target by the end of June, infections are dropping and restriction-free travel within Europe should be allowed this Summer.
Having added Portugal to its travel green list in May, UK families have been flying in their droves to Lisbon, the Algarve and Porto. Despite the lack of clarity around the amber list, hundreds of thousands of UK holidaymakers have already booked to sunshine favourites Spain, Italy and the Greek islands for June, July and August. In order to provide as much flexibility as possible, Ryanair has extended its zero-change fee for all new bookings made before 30 September, for travel by 31 December 2021, giving customers flexibility and peace of mind should their plans change.
Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary said:
“The highly successful UK vaccine rollout has already enabled hundreds and thousands of British families to book their flights to Portugal this summer, and today we call on Minister Grant Shapps to include all EU countries in the next revision of the UK’s green list so UK holidaymakers can travel restriction-free to the beaches of Spain, Greece and Italy – all of whom have opened their doors to British visitors this summer.
The UK Govt must scrap the nonsensical requirement of PCR tests for those returning from low-risk (green) countries. There is no point in setting up a traffic light system if ‘green’ still requires additional measures that significantly add to the cost of a family trip. There is no justification for the UK Govt to delay the removal of all travel restrictions for those who have been fully vaccinated when research from Public Health England has demonstrated that two doses of the C-19 vaccines are highly effective against the Indian variant.
We look forward to seeing all of Europe open to restriction-free travel for British families this summer, and to welcoming millions of British guests on board very soon”.
Indian Variant “Scariant” Baseless When NI Border Open
Ryanair, Ireland’s largest airline, today (28th May) condemned the Government’s inaction on lifting CTA restrictions for UK passengers arriving in Ireland by ferry and plane on the bogus grounds of concerns over the Indian variant. The Indian variant is as prevalent in Northern Ireland as it is in the UK, yet the Northern Ireland border remains wide open. This Indian “scariant” is a bogus excuse when all the evidence confirms that the Covid vaccines are effective against the Indian variant/scariant.
Ryanair condemned Transport Minister Eamonn Ryan’s false claim that the Government is following “scientific advice”. There is no scientific advice that allows UK citizens unrestricted access to Ireland across the Northern Ireland border, yet treats exactly the same UK citizens differently (maintaining a 14-day quarantine) if these UK citizens travel to Ireland by ferry or plane.
Ryanair calls again for all travel restrictions within the UK CTA to be lifted on Tues 1st June since there is no medical or scientific basis for quarantining UK visitors, while at the same time allowing them to freely travel across the Northern Ireland border. The Government cannot hide behind its bogus science or false claims about the Indian “scariant”.
A Ryanair Spokesperson said:
“Today’s announcement shows that Minister Ryan has yet again mismanaged the transport situation. Minister Ryan should now explain what “science” or “medical advice” allows UK citizens to drive across the Northern Ireland border with no restrictions, yet if they travel to Ireland by ferry or plane, they have to quarantine for 14 days. This is yet another example of Minister Ryan’s incompetence and failure in the management of transport, and the safe reopening of Ireland, when all of our vaccines are successful against the Indian scariant.”
To Recover Irish Aviation And Tourism
– Restore UK CTA From 1 June
– Remove All Travel Restrictions To/From EU By 1 July
Ryanair, Ireland’s largest airline, today (27th May) called on Micheál Martin’s Government to announce an immediate rescue plan for Irish aviation and tourism, which is being devastated by Government mismanagement of the post-Covid reopening, even as vaccinations flood through the population. Ryanair called on Taoiseach Micheál Martin in this plan (due to be announced on Friday 28th May) to;
Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary said:
“This Government has visited untold damage on Irish aviation and tourism. Ireland has a Minister for Transport who has no plan, no policy and no commitment to aviation. Ireland is an island on the periphery of Europe, yet our Transport Minister has sat on an Aviation Recovery Plan since July 2020, but taken no action at all. Ryanair has no faith in Minister Eamonn Ryan, who has shown himself to be ineffective and not up to the job, even while Irish airlines are closing bases here, and moving aircraft and jobs overseas to the UK and Europe.
It is time for Micheál Martin’s Government to introduce an emergency rescue plan for Irish aviation and tourism. Staycations may fill some hotels in the South and West of Ireland during July & August, but it will not fill the hotels of Dublin, and nor will it support Irish tourism once the schools reopen in September. Since our Minister for Transport is incapable or unwilling to act, Micheál Martin and Leo Varadkar must now take charge and reopen Ireland from the UK from Tues 1st June next, and to/from the EU from Thurs 1st July next”.
146 Weekly Flights Across 41 Routes
Ryanair, Europe’s No.1 airline, today (19 May) launched its expanded Romania’s Summer 2021 schedule, which includes 146 departing flights per week across 41 routes, including 14 new routes to popular holiday destinations in Italy, Greece, Croatia and Spain that will help boost Romania’s connectivity and tourism as vaccination programmes continue and Europe re-opens in time for the summer holiday season.
Ryanair’s Romanian Summer 21 schedule delivers:
Romanian consumers can now book a summer holiday as far out as October 2021, flying on the lowest fares to international destinations such as Berlin, Milan and Vienna among many others. To celebrate, Ryanair has launched a seat sale with fares available from just €19.99 for travel until the end of October, but these sale prices must be booked by midnight Friday, 21st May on the Ryanair.com website.
Ryanair’s Commercial Director, Jason McGuiness said:
“As vaccination rollout programmes continue in the coming months, air traffic is set to soar and we are delighted to announce our expanded Romanian Summer 2021 schedule, with 146 flights across 41 routes, including 14 new routes to a host of popular sunshine destinations.
To celebrate, we are releasing seats from just €19.99 for travel until the end of October 2021, which are available to book until midnight Friday, 21st May. Since these amazing low prices will be snapped up quickly, customers should log onto www.ryanair.com to avoid missing out.”
14 New Summer ’21 Routes From Four Romanian Airports
| Airport | New Routes | Weekly Flights |
| Bucharest [5] | Alghero | 2 |
| Corfu | 2 | |
| Manchester | 3 | |
| Palma de Mallorca | 2 | |
| Zadar | 2 | |
| Oradea [1] | Bologna | 2 |
| Sibiu [3] | Bologna | 2 |
| Corfu | 2 | |
| Venice Treviso | 2 | |
| Suceava [5] | Milan Bergamo | 4 |
| Rome Ciampino | 3 | |
| Rhodes | 2 | |
| Venice Treviso | 2 | |
| Vienna | 2 |
95 WEEKLY FLIGHTS ACROSS 33 ROUTES
Ryanair, Europe’s No.1 airline, today (19 May) launched its expanded Bulgaria’s Summer 2021 schedule, which includes 95 departing flights per week across 33 routes, including six new destinations in Hungary, Italy and Greece. These new routes will help boost Bulgaria’s connectivity and tourism as vaccination programmes continue and Europe re-opens in time for the summer holiday season.
Ryanair’s Bulgaria’s Summer 21 schedule delivers:
Bulgarian consumers can now book a summer holiday as far out as October 2021, flying on the lowest fares to international destinations such as Berlin, Brussels and Vienna among many others. To celebrate, Ryanair has launched a seat sale with fares available from just €19.99 for travel until the end of October, but these sale prices must be booked by midnight Friday, 21st May on the Ryanair.com website.
Ryanair’s Commercial Director, Jason McGuiness said:
“As vaccination rollout programmes continue in the coming months, air traffic is set to soar and we are delighted to announce our expanded Bulgarian summer 2021 schedule, with 95 flights across 33 routes, including six new to a host of popular destinations.
To celebrate, we are releasing seats from just €19.99 for travel until the end of October 2021, which are available to book until midnight Friday, 21st May. Since these amazing low prices will be snapped up quickly, customers should log onto www.ryanair.com to avoid missing out.”
Ryanair today (19 May) welcomed the EU General Court’s rulings that State aid measures favouring Air France-KLM and TAP were in breach of EU law. The enormous amounts of State aid received by each airline are set out below:
|
Airline |
€ |
|
Air France-KLM |
3.4bn |
|
TAP |
1.2bn |
While the Covid-19 crisis has caused damage to all airlines that contribute to the economies and the connectivity of the Netherlands and Portugal, the governments of these countries decided to support only their national flag carriers. Ryanair appealed the European Commission’s approvals of these illegal State subsidies to the EU General Court in 2020.
Ryanair’s spokesperson said:
“One of the EU’s greatest achievements is the creation of a single market for air transport. The European Commission’s approvals of State aid to Air France-KLM and TAP went against the fundamental principles of EU law and reversed the clock on the process of liberalisation in air transport by rewarding inefficiency and encouraging unfair competition.
During the Covid-19 pandemic over €30bn in discriminatory State subsidies has been gifted to EU flag carriers. Unless halted by the EU Courts in line with today’s rulings, this State aid spree will distort the market for decades to come. If Europe is to emerge from this crisis with a functioning single market, airlines must be allowed to compete on a level playing field. Today’s rulings in 2 of more than 20 appeals filed to date before the General Court are an important victory for consumers and competition.”
*NOTE TO EDITORS:
The EU Commission’s spineless approach to State aid since the beginning of the Covid-19 crisis has allowed Member States to write open-ended cheques to their inefficient zombie flag carriers in the name of faded national prestige. The EU Commission has hastily approved over €30bn of discriminatory State aid since the crisis began. Discriminatory State subsidies given by EU Member States or planned to be given are set out here:
| Air France-KLM | €14.4bn |
| Lufthansa Group | €11bn |
| Alitalia | €3.5bn |
| SAS | €1.3bn |
| TAP | €1.6bn |
| Finnair | €1.2bn |
| Norwegian | €0.8bn |
| LOT | €0.65bn |
| Condor | €0.6bn |
| Air Europa | €0.5bn |