Ryanair to cut 20% of Dublin flights

After last week announcing the axing of 40% of operations from London Stansted Airport, Ryanair has today unveiled plans to reduce the number of flights operating from Dublin by 20%.

The airline estimates that Dublin traffic throughout the winter will decline by 250,000 in comparison to 12 months ago, with the airport losing over two million passengers in all of 2009.

Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary said: "In winter 2007 Ryanair had 22 aircraft based at Dublin Airport. Last year we reduced this by 20% to 18 aircraft and this year we're cutting it by a further 20% to just 14 aircraft.

"These cuts come just one day after Ryanair announced 39 new routes to the Canaries this winter where the Spanish government has reduced airport fees to zero. Last week Ryanair announced 11 new routes to Oslo airport this winter where again airport fees have been substantially reduced."

News of the cuts also came with further criticism for the €10 tourist tax levied by the Irish government; one labelled 'insanely stupid' by O'Leary.

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July 31, 2009