Ryanair today announced “Severe cuts” to its Summer 2013 schedule in Spain reducing operations by 12%
the second successive downsizing of operations at Barcelona and Madrid bases after cuts in winter schedule with the loss of 4.5 million passengers and 648 weekly flights from 30th March 2013 unless “The airport operator imposes the same rates as before”, the hike will cost €75-80 million more than paid in 2012 said Ryanair.
Ryanair Deputy CEO Michael Cawley said “Ryanair opposes the Spanish government’s decision to double the airport charges at airports in Barcelona El Prat and Madrid Barajas and the increase in the rest of Spanish airports. Unfortunately, this will lead back to a significant decline in traffic, tourism and jobs in both airports for the summer of 2013 as part of an overall reduction of 12% of Ryanair’s operations in Spain”.
The airline plans to cut Barcelona El Prat base operations by 23% reducing base fleet from 13 to 12 Boeing 737-800s, terminating four routes to Alicante, Lubeck, Munich and Trieste and reducing frequency on 20 other routes , with the loss of 170 weekly flights and 1.2 million passengers.
At its Madrid Barajas base it plans to cut operations by 35% reducing base fleet from 14 to 10 aircraft, terminating thirteen routes to Almería, Ancona, Bari, Gerona, Eindhoven, Frankfurt (Hahn), Genoa, London (Gatwick), Poznan, Stockholm (Skavsta), Turin and Verona, with reduced frequency on 22 other routes, with the loss of 272 weekly flights and 1.9 million passengers.
Ryanair plans to grow by 4% in 2013 to 79 million passengers with delivery of 7 new Boeing 737-800s and re-locating five aircraft from Spain to East Midlands and Manchester also to Greece, Portugal and airports “more affordable” .
AENA sources have pointed to EFE that airport charges in 2011 covered 63.5% of the costs, whose renovation in 2012 enough to cover 73.5% and 76.7% in 2013, the increase in airport charges next year is equivalent to €0.85 euros per ticket.
Irish Aviation Research Institute © 28th November 2012 All Rights Reserved.
