Ryanair to decrease Stansted service this winter

Low-cost airline Ryanair has announced that it will reduce the number of aircraft it operates from Stansted Airport this winter from 40 to 33, as it protests higher charges brought in by airport operator BAA.

In a statement to announce the carrier's record first quarter profits, chief executive Michael O'Leary said: "We continue to press for the break-up of the BAA airport monopoly which provides abject facilities, a third rate service and charges extortionate prices, particularly at Stansted.

"This winter we will sit seven of our 40 Stansted-based aircraft on the ground because Stansted's higher airport charges make it more profitable to ground these aircraft during the winter rather than fly them."

He cited understaffing at the Essex airport that leads to long queues at passport control, calling the BAA service "appalling".

Cutting the number of aircraft based at Stansted will mean Ryanair will drop certain routes and cut frequency on others. Reports suggest routes affected could include Malmo, Poitiers and Genoa.

However, BAA believes it is unlikely that Ryanair will leave the planes sitting on the tarmac over the winter, with a spokesperson telling The Times that the carrier would probably use them elsewhere in its network.

The airline has been rapidly expanding in Europe in recent months and the aircraft could be used to test further routes on the continent.

© Adfero Ltd

Comments

[Michael Clarke]

I agree with O'Leary. All BAA can think of is revenue, by misusing the airport area for commercial outlets (for which they receive a percentage of the take) instead of using it for the comfort and convenience of passengers who, after all, are the main purpose of having an airport. Why Ferrovial took over BAA except to use it as a cash cow is hard to imagine. The bottom line is everything. Try EMA, which is not as hard-nosed as the appalling BAA.

[ed]

Perhaps Mr. O'Leary should also take into account the customer's perspective, and put loyalty to customers and customer service before excessive profit. The routes he intends to stop are and have been used by customers such as myself for many months. I don't think it's good ethics or even good business practice to turn around and say to those customers, in effect, I don't want your custom anymore because I am not making as much money out of you as I can be.

[Joan]

I am disgusted with Ryanair if they are going to cancel flights from Poitiers during the winter. The next airport to the north of Poitiers is Paris, there are no other airports.

We are not so bad as Limoges is about the same distance, but is not such a good airport.

The English people living in France have been using Ryanair because they have no other airline. Please tell Richard Branson that we need him in France to run a low-cost and fair airline, instead of being ripped of all the time by extra charges.

Ryanair thinks everyone has a computer. I have news for them: not everyone has.

[Phil Hill]

I agree with Ryanair on this one. BAA operate a disgusting monopoly. Even fleecing people who just want to pick up passengers from the airport by making it extremely difficult to avoid parking fees. Now they are doubling the airport fees, why? because they can. There is no competition. I hope they hear the message Ryanair are sending them loud and clear (but I doubt they will).

[robin rayner]

Just a comment on a prevous comment:
To the north of Poitiers is Tours - just an hour away on the RN10.
I live in Poitiers but have often found Tours more friendly and a little cheaper. It has in the past stayed open in the winter.
Hope it does this year?
Tours has also had free parking, unlike Poitiers.