Ryanair today (14 Apr) noted the EU General Court’s rulings on Finnish, Danish and Swedish State aid favouring Finnair and SAS over all other EU airlines. The Finnish government granted a €600m loan guarantee to Finnair which has benefited from more than €1.2bn in State aid since the beginning of the pandemic. The Danish and Swedish governments each granted a loan guarantee of €137m to SAS which has also benefited from recapitalisation State aid from these countries, bringing the total aid received by SAS to over €1.3bn.
While the Covid-19 crisis has caused damage to all airlines that contribute to the economies and the connectivity of Finland, Denmark and Sweden, the governments of these countries decided to support only their flag carriers. Ryanair referred the European Commission’s approvals of these illegal subsidies to the EU General Court in June 2020. Ryanair will appeal today’s General Court judgments to the Court of Justice of the EU.
Ryanair’s spokesperson said:
“One of the EU’s greatest achievements is the creation of a true single market for air transport. The European Commission’s approvals of the Finnish, Danish and Swedish State aid went against the fundamental principles of EU law. Today’s judgments set the process of liberalisation in air transport back by 30 years by allowing Finland, Denmark and Sweden to give their national flag carriers a leg up over more efficient competitors, based purely on nationality.
We will now ask the EU Court of Justice to overturn these unfair subsidies in the interests of competition and consumers. If Europe is to emerge from this crisis with a functioning single market, airlines must be allowed to compete on a level playing field. Undistorted competition can weed out inefficiency and benefit consumers through low fares and choice. Subsidies, on the other hand, encourage inefficiency and will harm consumers for decades to come.”
*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:
| Lufthansa Group €11bn
Air France-KLM €10.6bn
Alitalia €3.5bn
SAS €1.3bn
TAP €1.2bn
Finnair €1.2bn
Norwegian €0.8bn
LOT €0.65bn
Condor €0.6bn
Air Europa €0.5bn |
Ryanair, Europe’s No.1 airline, today (06 Apr) announced a new route from Shannon to Corfu, operating twice weekly from July, as part of Ryanair’s Irish Summer ’21 Schedule. This new route will help boost air traffic as vaccination programmes continue and Europe prepares to re-open for summer holiday season.
Irish consumers can now book a summer getaway, flying on the lowest fares and with the option to avail of Ryanair’s zero change fee should plans change.
To celebrate, Ryanair has launched a seat sale with fares available from just €19.99 for travel until the end of October 2021, which must be booked by midnight Thursday, 8th April only on the Ryanair.com website.
Ryanair’s Director of Commercial, Jason McGuinness, said:
“As vaccination rollout programmes continue in the coming months, we are hopeful that international travel will recover and we are delighted to announce this new route from Shannon to Corfu, operating twice weekly from July.
Mindful that Covid restrictions change regularly, customers can now book flights for a well-deserved break knowing that if they need to postpone or change their travel dates, they can do so up to two times with a zero-change fee until the end of October 2021.
To celebrate, we are launching a seat sale with fares available from just €19.99 for travel until the end of October 2021, which must be booked by midnight Thursday, 8th April. Since these amazing low fares will be snapped up quickly, customers should log onto www.ryanair.com to avoid missing out.”
77% Load Factor As Covid-19 Continues To Impact Traffic
Ryanair Holdings plc today (6 Apr) released March traffic statistics as follows:
| |
2020 |
2021 |
Growth |
| Ryanair Group |
5.5m |
0.5m |
-91% |
| |
|
|
|
| Rolling Annual |
148.6m |
27.5m (71% LF) |
-81% |
Ryanair operated approx. 5% of its normal March schedule with a 77% load factor.
Ryanair, 1ère compagnie aérienne d’Europe, a annoncé aujourd’hui (1 avril) 8 nouvelles lignes depuis Marrakech, Agadir, Fès, Rabat, Essaouira et Tétouan à partir de juillet vers plusieurs destinations populaires en France, Espagne et Allemagne, dans le cadre du programme été 2021 Maroc de Ryanair.
| NOUVEAUTÉS |
| LIGNES |
Fréquence Hebdomadaire |
| Marrakech – Toulouse |
2 |
| Marrakech – Saragosse |
2 |
| Agadir – Bordeaux |
2 |
| Agadir – Francfort Hahn |
2 |
| Fès – Malaga* |
2 |
| Rabat – Malaga |
2 |
| Tétouan – Marseille |
2 |
| Essaouira – Marseille |
2 |
Les passagers Marocains pourront profiter de Ryanair pour voyager cet été aux tarifs les plus bas, ainsi qu’avec la flexibilité de n’avoir aucun frais de modification en cas de changement de plan. Pour l’occasion, Ryanair lance une vente de billets à partir de 219 MAD seulement, pour des voyages jusqu’à fin octobre 2021, à réserver jusqu’au Samedi 3 avril à 23h59 sur www.ryanair.com.
Julien Tranchant, Manager Marketing Maroc de Ryanair, a déclaré:
“Confiant que les vols reprendront bientôt avec le Maroc, nous sommes heureux d’annoncer 8 nouvelles routes depuis le Maroc vers des destinations très demandés en France, Espagne et Allemagne à partir de juillet dans le cadre de notre programme de vol été 2021 au Maroc.
Sachant que les restrictions Covid changent régulièrement, Ryanair permet désormais gratuitement jusqu’à deux changements de date de vol. Les passagers peuvent réserver leurs vols pour des vacances bien méritée en sachant que s’ils doivent reporter ou modifier leurs dates de voyage, ils pourront le faire sans aucun frais de modification jusqu’à fin octobre 2021.
Pour célébrer ces 8 nouvelles lignes au départ du Maroc, nous lançons jusqu’au samedi 3 avril 2021 inclus une vente de billets dès 219 MAD seulement pour voyager jusqu’à fin octobre 2021 ! Pour obtenir les meilleurs prix, nous invitons nos passagers à réserver sans attendre sur www.ryanair.com»
Ryanair, Europe’s No.1 airline, today (01 Apr) announced 60,000 additional seats to Greece this summer, launching two new routes and 16 additional flights per week on existing routes to Greece from Belgium, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy and Poland from July 2021.
Following strong demand from consumers throughout Europe, two new routes will operate from Warsaw Modlin to Zakynthos and from Brussels Charleroi to Santorini, both flying twice weekly from July. Ryanair’s extended Greek Summer ’21 schedule will also deliver extra flights on the following routes:
| Route |
Weekly Flights |
| Bologna-Corfu |
3 (+1) |
| Bologna-Crete |
2 (+1) |
| Bologna- Mykonos |
4 (+2) |
| Brussels Charleroi-Corfu |
4 (+2) |
| Budapest-Corfu |
3 (+1) |
| Dublin-Santorini |
3 (+1) |
| Frankfurt-Hahn-Mykonos |
2 (+1) |
| Milan Bergamo-Chania |
3 (+1) |
| Milan Bergamo-Corfu |
4 (+1) |
| Milan Bergamo-Crete |
4 (+2) |
| Milan Bergamo-Rhodes |
3 (+1) |
| Rome Ciampino-Corfu |
3 (+1) |
| Rome Ciampino- Rhodes |
3 (+1) |
European consumers have a wealth of Greek destinations to choose from this summer, flying on the lowest fares and with the option to avail of Ryanair’s zero change fee should plans change. To celebrate, Ryanair has launched a seat sale with fares available from just €19.99 for travel until the end of October 2021, which must be booked by midnight Saturday, 3rd April only on the Ryanair.com website.
Ryanair’s Director of Commercial, Jason McGuinness, said:
“We are pleased to announce 60,000 additional seats and two new routes to Greece, commencing from July 2021, as part of our extended Greek Summer 2021 schedule.
Mindful that Covid restrictions change regularly, customers can now book flights for a well-deserved break knowing that if they need to postpone or change their travel dates, they can do so up to two times with a zero change fee until the end of October 2021.
To celebrate, we are launching a seat sale with fares available from just €19.99 for travel until the end of October 2021, which must be booked by midnight Saturday 3rd April 2021. Since these amazing low fares will be snapped up quickly, customers should log onto www.ryanair.com to avoid missing out.”
Ryanair, Europe’s No.1 airline, today (01 Apr) announced three new Bulgarian routes from Sofia to Bari, Bologna and Budapest from July as part of Ryanair’s Bulgarian Summer 2021 schedule.
Bulgarian consumers can now book a summer getaway, flying on the lowest fares and with the option to avail of Ryanair’s zero change fee should plans change.
| New Routes |
| Route |
Weekly Flights |
| Bari |
5 |
| Bologna |
3 |
| Budapest |
2 |
To celebrate, Ryanair has launched a seat sale with fares available from just 39 BGN for travel until the end of October 2021, which must be booked by midnight Saturday, 3rd April on the Ryanair.com website.
Ryanair’s Sales & Marketing Manager for CEE, Olga Pawlonka, said:
“We are pleased to announce three new Bulgarian routes from Sofia to Bari, Bologna and Budapest, operating up to 5 times weekly, as part of our Bulgarian Summer 2021 schedule.
Mindful that Covid restrictions change regularly, customers can now book flights for a well-deserved break knowing that if they need to postpone or change their travel dates, they can do so up to two times with a zero change fee until the end of October 2021.
To celebrate, we are launching a seat sale with fares available from just 39 BGN for travel until the end of October 2021, which must be booked by midnight Saturday, 3rd April 2021. Since these amazing low fares will be snapped up quickly, customers should log onto www.ryanair.com to avoid missing out.”
Ryanair, Europe’s No.1 airline, today (1 Apr) announced a new Vilnius to Billund route, commencing in July 2021, flying three times per week as part of Ryanair’s Lithuanian Summer 2021 schedule.
Lithuanian consumers can now book a summer getaway, flying on the lowest fares and with the option to avail of Ryanair’s zero change fee should plans change.
To celebrate, Ryanair has launched a seat sale with fares available from just €19.99 for travel until the end of October 2021, which must be booked by midnight Saturday, 3rd April on the Ryanair.com website.
Ryanair’s Head of Sales & Marketing, Chiara Ravara, said:
“We are pleased to announce a new Vilnius to Billund route, commencing in July 2021 and flying three times per week as part of our Lithuanian Summer 2021 schedule.
Mindful that Covid restrictions change regularly, customers can now book flights for a well-deserved break knowing that if they need to postpone or change their travel dates, they can do so up to two times with a zero change fee until the end of October 2021.
To celebrate this new Billund route, we are launching a seat sale with fares available from just €19.99 for travel until the end of October 2021, which must be booked by midnight Saturday, 3rd April 2021. Since these amazing low fares will be snapped up quickly, customers should log onto www.ryanair.com to avoid missing out.”