Ryanair to cut five routes from Edinburgh Airport

Budget airline Ryanair has axed five routes from Edinburgh Airport.

Chief executive Michael O'Leary made the announcement on Tuesday, saying it was too expensive to operate out of the capital.

The Dublin-based company currently runs 40 routes from the airport. From April, they are reducing their traffic by 15%, meaning they will carry 300,000 less passengers.

The routes being cut are Berlin, Malmo, Murcia, Ibiza and Tallinn.

Ryanair have been in talks with the airport over the fees it pays, and threatened to leave if a deal was not found.

Mr O'Leary said the cuts will have a knock-on effect and result in 300 job losses in Edinburgh, although said no Ryanair staff would be out of work.

He 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, 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."

After the cuts, the airline will still be one of the largest operating out of the airport with 1.5 million passengers flying on 35 routes every year.

Operators BAA are trying to sell the airport after the competition commission ordered them to sell one of their Scottish bases.

Last June, the airline halted 20 out of 100 flights a week from Edinburgh.

       Selman TENGÜZ

   Wednesday, May 18, 2011

       Talip BÖLÜKBAŞI

   Thursday, May 19, 2011