Ireland-based ULCC Ryanair has warned that it cannot rule out “extended layoffs and/or job losses” after May 31, given the continuing uncertainty on when airline operations will resume once the COVID-19 pandemic ebbs.
The parent company of Irish budget carrier Ryanair anticipates its fiscal 2020 profit figure will come in towards the low end of its previous guidance range.
UK LCC easyJet has grounded its entire fleet in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, while Irish LCC Ryanair continues to operate just 10% of its aircraft.
Ryanair does not expect to operate any flights through April or May while fellow European ULCCs Wizz Air and easyJet have grounded the majority of their fleet.
Ryanair expects “the majority” of its fleet will be grounded while Finnair and SAS are among the latest airlines to stop almost all flights. Air France is also grounding its entire Airbus A380 fleet and KLM its entire Boeing 747 fleet.
Air France-KLM, EasyJet, International Airlines Group and Ryanair all said they will cut most of their flights in the coming days as travel restrictions push demand for air transport close to zero.
Alitalia and Ryanair are cutting more flights to and from Milan airports after Italy’s government implemented strict new quarantine measures on Mar. 8 in a bid to contain the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak.
European airlines were trying to reassure themselves Mar. 3 that the spread of COVID-19 and the demand slump they are currently experiencing will be short-lived and followed by a quick-recovery.
Former Ryanair chief commercial officer David O’Brien has been named joint CEO of Laudamotion, and will work alongside CEO Andreas Gruber, effective Apr. 1.
Irish LCC Ryanair has teamed up with Aviomar Flight Academy to officially launch a Ryanair-mentored pilot training program in Rome that it hopes will train up to 400 new pilots from across Europe in the next four to five years.
Irish LCC Ryanair has welcomed a UK appeal judgment ruling that determines labor strikes qualify as extraordinary circumstances under European Union (EU) passenger-rights rules (EU261).
The UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has ruled that Ryanair advertisements, claiming it is Europe’s greenest airline, are misleading and banned the Irish LCC from repeating the ads in their current form.
Ryanair has accepted a mediator’s recommendations on a collective labor agreement (CLA) with Irish pilot union Fórsa, as it warned of possible further jobs because of growing Boeing 737 MAX delays.
Ryanair raised its full-year financial guidance Jan. 10 after what it described as stronger than expected figures over the busy Christmas and New Year period.
