Ryanair, Ireland’s No. 1 airline, today (Mon, 17^th Apr) announced plans to expand its aircraft maintenance facility at Dublin Airport with the construction of a new state-of-the-art 4 bay hangar – a €40m investment and creating over 200 new highly paid and high skilled jobs for engineers and mechanics.

This new 120,000sq foot hangar will be one of the most environmentally friendly hangars in the EU with gas absorption heat pumps reducing energy use by up to 35%. The hangar will facilitate the heavy and line maintenance of Ryanair’s fleet at Dublin Airport as the airline grow its fleet to 600 aircraft with the delivery of more efficient new technology 737-8200 “Gamechanger” aircraft, which carry 4% more passengers while burning 16% less fuel and emitting 40% less noise.

Construction of the new facility will commence in Q4 of 2023 with aircraft maintenance operations planned to start in Q2 2025.

Ryanair CEO, Eddie Wilson, said:

“As Ireland’s No.1 airline, we are delighted to announce our plans to invest a further €40 million in Dublin which will see significant expansion of our Dublin maintenance base and will create a further 200 highly paid jobs for engineers and mechanics. This facility will be state of the art and one of the most environmentally friendly hangars in Europe and will facilitate the maintenance of our growing fleet.

Ryanair is the ‘go-to’ airline for highly skilled engineering jobs with our industry leading rosters for engineers and the opportunity to work with the biggest operator of Boeing 737s in Europe. We are pleased to announce the expansion of Ryanair maintenance in Ireland as Ryanair continues to grow to over 600 aircraft and 225 million passengers by 2026.”

FRENCH ATC STRIKES HAVE UNFAIRLY CANCELLED OVER 627,000 PASSENGERS’ FLIGHTS

On the 38^th day of French ATC strikes in just 3 months, Ryanair has condemned EU Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen for her inexcusable failure to protect EU citizens/visitors’ fundamental right to the Freedom of Movement, by irresponsibly allowing EU skies to be closed repeatedly during French ATC strikes.

President von der Leyen has shown how little she cares about EU citizens/visitors and their rights by allowing over 627,000 Ryanair passengers’ flights in the first 3 months of 2023 alone to be cancelled at short notice due to French ATC strikes, disrupting travel plans, diminishing essential intra-European connectivity and damaging tourism. However, these passengers could easily be protected without impeding on French ATC unions’ right to strike with the following measures:

1. Protect French overflights during ATC strikes (using min services laws) like in Greece, Italy & Spain
2. Allow Europe’s other ATCs to manage flights over France while French ATC strike
3. Mandate that French ATC unions engage in binding arbitration before calling of strikes
4. Mandate advanced notification of strike participation

French unions can exercise their right to strike without being allowed to close the entire upper French airspace, as ATC unions in Spain, Italy and Greece avoid by protecting overflights. It is completely disproportionate and unfair that internal French flights are protected under Min. Services Legislation, but EU citizens/visitors’ overflights from Germany, Spain, Italy, the UK and Ireland are cancelled.

President von der Leyen and the EU Commission have a duty to protect EU citizens’ right to the Freedom of Movement. Ryanair is calling on EU passengers to sign its Protect Passengers: Keep EU Skies Open petition and demand that the EU Commission and President von der Leyen take immediate action to protect their rights as EU citizens.

A spokesperson for Ryanair said:

“Today, French ATC are striking for the 38^th day in just 3 months with thousands more EU passengers having their flights to see friends and family unfairly cancelled at short notice. While we have no difficulty with French unions exercising their right to strike, we do expect President von der Leyen to do her job and defend and protect EU citizens/visitors’ fundamental right to the Freedom of Movement, which she and her College of Commissioners have inexplicably failed to do.

It is completely disproportionate and unfair that the French Govt can use Min. Services Legislation to protect internal French flights but force the cancellation of flights over France. President von der Leyen should protect EU citizens/visitors on non-French flights overflying French Airspace from Germany, Spain, Italy, the UK and Ireland. The EU’s Single Market for air travel and overflights should not be repeatedly cancelled because the EU Commission fails to take action.

Ryanair is calling on EU passengers to join our call on President von der Leyen and sign our Protect Passengers: Keep EU Skies Open petition to demand that the EU Commission take action to protect their rights as EU citizens.”

Ryanair, Europe’s largest airline, today (12 Apr) announced that it has expanded its partnership with the world leading sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) supplier, Neste, to power its full schedule of Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) flights with a 40% SAF blend from 1 Apr.

This significant increase in SAF use represents the latest milestone development in Ryanair’s ambitious goal of operating 12.5% of flights with SAF by 2030 and further supports Ryanair’s Pathway to Net Zero by 2050 decarbonisation goals, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 32%.

Ryanair’s Director of Sustainability, Thomas Fowler said:

“Ryanair is delighted to extend our partnership with Neste to increase the amount of Ryanair flights at Amsterdam being powered with a 40% blend of SAF from a third of flights to our entire Amsterdam operation from 1 April.

Increasing the use of SAF is a fundamental pillar of our Pathway to Net Zero by 2050 decarbonisation strategy and this increase at Amsterdam will reduce greenhouse gas emissions of our flights from there by 32%.

We look forward to continuing our growing partnership with Neste as we further progress our goal of operating 12.5% of Ryanair flights with SAF by 2030.”

Alexander Küper, Neste’s Vice President EMEA, Renewable Aviation added:

“Decarbonising aviation is more important than ever, and we are proud to support Ryanair in achieving their ambitious Pathway to Net Zero by 2050. Increasing the usage of SAF to all flights departing from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol is a major milestone enabling Ryanair to substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions of its operations at the airport.

We look forward to continuing working together with Ryanair on the reduction of their emissions as we increase our annual SAF production capability to 1.5 million tons per annum by the end of 2023.”

Ryanair, Europe’s No.1 airline, today (6 Apr) applied to the High Court for permission to support the Commission for Aviation Regulation (CAR) in its defence against DAA’s appeal which seeks to increase charges at Dublin Airport beyond the 45% increase to 2026 already permitted by CAR in Dec 2022. 

Despite DAA’s failure to effectively manage security processing at Dublin Airport last summer and its gold plated vanity projects such as the unnecessary €200m tunnel under a taxiway, CAR has already authorised an excessive and unfair 45% price hike to Dublin Airport’s already high charges over the next 4 years, even while other EU airports are cutting charges to encourage airlines to recover traffic post-Covid.  The State-owned DAA monopoly, which benefited immensely from taxpayer-sponsored Covid supports, is now seeking to force CAR, through a High Court appeal, to allow an even greater level of price gouging at its monopoly airport in Dublin. 

Ryanair’s CEO, Eddie Wilson, said:

“We filed a motion with the High Court today to be allowed to persuade the Court to reject the DAA’s appeal of CAR’s airport charges ruling for the next 4 years. 

Ireland’s air connectivity and tourism are at risk as DAA embarks on a €3bn+ program of wasteful capital expenditure and pressures CAR through the High Court to allow even more rip off charges than the 45% increase already permitted by CAR in Dec 2022 for the next 4 years.”

2 New Aircraft ($200m Investment), 30 Routes (2 New) & 60 New Jobs

Ryanair, Europe’s No.1 airline, today (5 Apr) celebrated its 10 years of operations at Nuremberg with the launch of its biggest ever schedule for Summer ’23, with 30 routes incl. 2 new routes to Seville and Tenerife. This record schedule will see Ryanair base 2 aircraft in Nuremberg for Summer ’23 – a $200m investment and 60 direct jobs.

Ryanair’s Nuremberg Summer ’23 schedule will deliver:

• 2 based aircraft – $200m total investment
• 30 routes incl. 2 new routes – Seville and Tenerife
• 175+ weekly flights
• 1.2m passengers to/from Nuremberg p.a.
• 1,000 jobs incl. 60 direct jobs

Ryanair will operate over 175 weekly flights to/from Nuremberg for Summer ’23, giving Nuremburg citizens/visitors the widest choice at the lowest fares in Europe when booking their Summer ‘23 getaways, while growing both inbound tourism and jobs.

Nuremberg customers/visitors can now book a well-deserved Summer getaway at the lowest fares from just €29,99 one way for travel until October ‘23 only available on www.Ryanair.com

Ryanair’s Director of Operations, Neal McMahon said:

“As Nuremburg’s No.1 airline, Ryanair is delighted to celebrate 10 years of operations at Nuremberg with the launch of our Summer ’23 schedule, with 30 routes, incl. 2 new routes to Seville and Tenerife. This record schedule is underpinned by Ryanair’s commitment to Nuremberg, 2 based aircraft – $200m investment, and 60 local and highly paid aviation jobs.

Since first landing in Nuremberg in 2013, Ryanair has carried over 5.4m passengers to/from the popular destination to date and we have worked closely with our partners in Nuremberg Airport to improve services and deliver an excellent customer experience for those that live, work, or wish to visit Nuremberg or the wider Bavaria region.

To allow our customers and visitors to/from Nuremberg to book their Summer getaway getaway at the lowest fares, we are launching a special promo with seats available from just €29,99 for travel between Apr and Oct ’23 at www.Ryanair.com.”

Managing Director of Nuremberg Airport, Dr Michael Hupe added:

“The balanced mix of European city connections, tourist destinations around the Mediterranean and for family visits in Central and Eastern Europe creates a wide range of opportunities for travel planning. Ryanair’s long-standing commitment in Nuremberg shows that our region is an attractive aviation location. The high number of destinations is also good news for Nuremberg’s hotel industry, gastronomy and retail trade, as many travelers from abroad will come to us in Nuremberg.”

Ryanair, Ireland and Europe’s no. 1 airline, has today (6 Apr) announced a major recruitment drive for 100 talented tech professionals to join the airline as it grows closer to carrying 225m passengers p.a. by 2026.

To help find the perfect candidates, Ryanair will host a Tech Recruitment Open Day in The Tivoli Hotel, Avenida Liberdade in Lisbon’s city centre on Thursday, 13^th April from 16:00 – 20:00. Here attendees will have an opportunity to meet the talent behind the brand and learn more about these exciting new tech roles in Software Development, Business Intelligence, Quality Assurance, Security and Project Management. The successful candidates will not only be working on Europe’s largest travel website for our customers but will also be driving exciting internal tech solutions for Pilots, Cabin Crew & Ground Operations as Ryanair Labs changes the face of Aviation!

Ryanair’s people enjoy excellent remuneration packages, fantastic career development opportunities and benefits, as well as discounted travel across Ryanair’s 235+ destination wide network.

Those interested in attending Ryanair’s Tech Recruitment Open Day should register by completing this Registration Form.

Ryanair’s Chief Technology Officer, John Hurley, said:

“As Europe’s no. 1 airline and a top European digital innovator, we are delighted to announce our Tech Recruitment Open Day to help find the perfect candidates to join our industry leading tech teams. Our Portuguese hub is unique and offers the best tech candidates in Portugal the opportunity to work remotely but have the full support of the Ryanair Labs teams in Dublin, Madrid and Wroclaw.  Ryanair Labs is the technology arm within the Ryanair Group, a start-up inside an airline and a state of-the-art digital & IT innovation hub creating Europe’s leading travel experience for Ryanair customers.

In response to strong bookings and fantastic growth across Europe, we are recruiting for 100 roles in Portugal to join our Ryanair Labs 500+ strong tech workforce and we are recruiting Software Developers, Business Intelligence Professionals, Quality Assurance Engineers, Security Analysts, Project Managers and Scrum Masters. As a Tech professional at Ryanair Labs, you will develop cutting edge tech solutions inside Ryanair, transforming aviation for Pilots, Cabin Crew & Ground Ops, as well as driving the tech experience for our customers on Europe’s largest travel website!  Our tech professionals get to see first-hand the contribution they have made to the business, whether that’s enhancements to the Ryanair Customer website or an app for our flight crew!

Our teams based remotely in Portugal enjoy fantastic pay, excellent conditions, remote working as well as discounted flights and travel perks across Ryanair’s 235+ destination network and we look forward to meeting enthusiastic and hard-working future team members at The Tivoli Hotel in Lisbon on 13 Apr.”

Ryanair, Ireland’s No.1 airline, today (Tues, 4 Apr) called on Transport Min. Eamon Ryan and the DAA to confirm that the recently purchased anti-drone equipment at Dublin Airport is in place, and fully ready to operate, to prevent illegal drone closures at Dublin Airport over the busy Easter holiday period.

In the first 8 weeks of 2023, Dublin Airport was closed six times due to the illegal drone activity, causing multiple diversions and delays to thousands of passengers. Transport Min. Eamon Ryan must now confirm that 5 weeks later the drone disabling equipment at Dublin Airport is operational and ready for use over Easter holidays so that Irish passengers/visitors will not suffer drone closures this Easter or into the summer season.

A Ryanair spokesperson said:

“It is unacceptable that flights and passengers have suffered repeated delays and diversions due to illegal drone activity at Dublin Airport on six separate days in 2023. Transport Min. Eamon Ryan promised to protect passengers with anti-drone equipment, so he must now confirm that this equipment is in place and fully operational at Dublin Airport in advance of the busy Easter holidays, so that Irish passengers/visitors and their families will not suffer any more closures/disruptions due to illegal drone activity at Dublin Airport.”