Passenger numbers at Shannon airport have declined from 3.1 million to 2.72 million in 2009, representing a 12 per cent drop from last last year.
Ryanair, the Irish economy airline, has announced it will go ahead with controversial plans to charge passengers for using toilets during flights. The charge, of between $1.40 and $1.60 depending on currency, would operate on flights of one hour or less.
Chief Executive of Ryanair Michael O'Leary has said that he will retire in three years from his job of running one of the most successful airlines in the world.
A Ryanair plane flying from Dublin to Glasgow slid on an icy runway in Prestwick Airport at 9am on Wednesday morning. The plane skidded on ice and came to a standstill part-way into a field. None of the 129 passengers or six crew members was hurt.
Posted by Kelly Fincham at 6/8/2009 6:49 AM EDT There are many many reasons why I dislike Ryanair. From the friend of mine whose image was used without her consent in their PR campaign to the way they treat their passengers and ...
Aer Lingus staff are being threatened with takeover by Ryanair if they fail to agree to massive cost-cutting. Aer Lingus chief executive Christoph Mueller told the Financial Times Mueller that this would be "non-independence."
A new low fare no frills airline serving Ireland and the United States is being planned. The company will be called Aerfare and $200 million is being sought to launch it. Fares will be 30% to 50% cheaper than currently offered.
O'Leary said: "I've been asked if I were Minister for Finance, what I would do to reduce costs by €4bn. I wouldn't reduce them by €4bn. I'd reduce them by €20bn in one year. I would eliminate 20 per cent of the civil service by simple means of requiring them all to work a minimum of 40 hours a week from Monday to Friday, and take 20 days' holidays a year like everybody else in the bloody real world. And if you don't like it, leave."
Aer Lingus may quit Republic of Ireland and move its base to Belfast or London in order to cut costs and stave off union problems.
In hard times even Santa feels the pinch. That’s the message of “Santa and the Recession,” a timely new book for children written and illustrated in Ireland (where the recession is biting harder than most places).