Ryanair Shannon Pullout

Aidric

It was just announced at the end of the six one news this evening that Ryanair are pulling 75% of their routes from April 2010. The reason given was that Shannon Airport weren't willing to meet Ryanair's demands on a new five year contract.
This is another blow for the region on the back of pull outs from other airlines.

sonyair

Don't believe everything, just because the aircraft are going it won't stop them operating the same routes from ryanairs other bases and airports.

Ryanair are turn coats, stopping and starting routes like luton and hahn, thay won't lose out on any euro.

Anyway other airlines won't fell a threat anymore and might actually fly to shannon now...

Berty

This is more a treat to the Government to drop the €10 tourist tax.

The Government will likely offset the cost of the operation to ensure the services remain.

phog

Bring in easyjet and have real competition.

old boy

phog wrote: »

Bring in easyjet and have real competition.

the we cross easyjet and ryan air, with both their lists of not to do, we have anew baby airline which we can call con air

Kess73

old boy wrote: »

the we cross easyjet and ryan air, with both their lists of not to do, we have anew baby airline which we can call con air

Do we not already have that airline in Ireland?:p

bmm

O'Leary truly is the boy that cried wolf and he does it on a weekly basis these days. He's always trying to get something for nothing. He bullies every airport in Europe and some stupid ones (like the canaries) give in to the bully boy tactics. Journalists in the Irish media should stop giving him free PR all the time. The best thing to do with a bully is ignore him.

Ryanair added flights, shannon to lanzarote, that started this week. Flights were being sold on the Ryanair website with a departure time of 11am . After they sold lots of flights they changed the departure time to the actual departure time - 6am. Who wants to get up at 3am in the morning for a flight. This kind of unscrupulous behaviour is standard practice in Ryanair.

Shannon Airport is better off without Ryanair

Berty

bmm wrote: »

Shannon Airport is better off without Ryanair

What about the 150 jobs?

drkpower

bmm wrote: »

Ryanair added flights, shannon to lanzarote, that started this week. Flights were being sold on the Ryanair website with a departure time of 11am . After they sold lots of flights they changed the departure time to the actual departure time - 6am. Who wants to get up at 3am in the morning for a flight. This kind of unscrupulous behaviour is standard practice in Ryanair.

Shannon Airport is better off without Ryanair

You are kidding me? While I am no fan of O'Learys, Shannon needs everything it can get. 150 jobs, 1.5 million visitors, yeah, who neeeds 'em.....? Dont let a unon anti-Ryanair mindset take away from the importance of regualr services to & from Shannon/mid-west. I dont see another operator filling even half those routes. Wake up.

And speaking of waking up..... many many people will happily get up at 3/4 am to go for a weeks holiday i lanzarote. Personally i prefer early flights so you get to your sun/ski resort relatively early. Especially when its €50 cheaper than the competition.

highlydebased

Berty wrote: »

What about the 150 jobs?

Flight crew and cabin crew can transfer to another base -no losses
Servisair staff were on reduced hours anyway
Airport services/shops still open

There will be very few direct and indirect job losses over this.

drkpower

Neon-Circles wrote: »

Flight crew and cabin crew can transfer to another base -no losses
Servisair staff were on reduced hours anyway
Airport services/shops still open

There will be very few direct and indirect job losses over this.

Ryanair carry almost half (1.5m) of Shannons passengers. I dont see other operators making up those num,bers. So, tell me, how does an airport lose 1/3-1/2 of its passengers and a majority of its routes and not lose jobs as a result. It makes no sense.

And that is before you consider the wider effect on tourism etc..

year passengers
2003 2.5
2004 2.5
2005 3.3
2006 3.5
2007 3.6
2008 3.1

bmm

We need descent quality jobs with an employer who treat their staff with respect . Not bully boy employers who treat their staff like sh1t .

O'Leary treats his employees like sh1t for good reason. He wants high staff turnover so he doesn't have to pay pensions etc.

I'm prepared to pay more for my flights if i can get better service.

It's hard work trying to figure ways to get around Ryanairs new trickery. On a weekly basis Ryanair are finding new ways of making peoples journeys a misery by penalties for this and extras for that.

Imagine the comfort of going to the airport comfortable in the knowledge that you won't be penalised for having hand luggage the wrong shape.

If every company was like Ryanair we'd spend our lives being duped and conned by ever changing extra charges and penalties.

drkpower

bmm wrote: »

We need descent quality jobs with an employer who treat their staff with respect . Not bully boy employers who treat their staff like sh1t .
O'Leary treats his employees like sh1t for good reason. He wants high staff turnover so he doesn't have to pay pensions etc. .

I need a reversal of my recent pay cut and a 30% bonus this year - im not sure I will get either though!
And Ryanair dont pay pensions whether their staff stay for a year or 20 years. My understanding was that employers just had to make a pension scheme available but didnt need to pay into it.

bmm wrote: »

I'm prepared to pay more for my flights if i can get better service.

It's hard work trying to figure ways to get around Ryanairs new trickery. On a weekly basis Ryanair are finding new ways of making peoples journeys a misery by penalties for this and extras for that.

Imagine the comfort of going to the airport comfortable in the knowledge that you won't be penalised for having hand luggage the wrong shape.

Once the plane flies from A to B on time and safely, I dont give a damn. Same as the bus. And its entirley clear to anyone who can use a computer what costs what on Ryanair. And just buy a bag that fits in Ryanairs cabin allowance. It really is quite simple.

tommy249

bmm wrote: »

Shannon Airport is better off without Ryanair

Are you for real?? The following is a list of all current scheduled flights from Shannon

Aer Lingus[/COLOR][/URL][/FONT]
Boston, Dublin, London-Heathrow, New York-JFK
Air Transat
Toronto-Pearson [seasonal]
Continental Airlines
Newark
Delta Air Lines
New York-JFK [seasonal][18]
Ryanair
Alicante, Birmingham, Bristol, Brussels South-Charleroi, Carcassonne [seasonal], Edinburgh, Faro, Girona, Glasgow-Prestwick, Krakow, Lanzarote, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Liverpool, Lodz, London-Gatwick, London-Stansted, Málaga, Milan-Orio al Serio [seasonal], Murcia [seasonal], Nantes [seasonal], Palma de Mallorca [seasonal], Paris-Beauvais, Tenerife-South, Venice-Treviso [seasonal] Wroclaw


Now remove 75% of the ryanair flights and we have a completly deserted airport, 1.5m less visitors to the midwest and and 150 more people on the dole!!

tommy249

bmm wrote: »

We need descent quality jobs with an employer who treat their staff with respect . Not bully boy employers who treat their staff like sh1t .

O'Leary treats his employees like sh1t for good reason. He wants high staff turnover so he doesn't have to pay pensions etc.

To be honest, I think that the 150 people that are losing their jobs would much prefer to be working for Ryanair for a weekly salary (by the way Ryanair are supposed to be decent payers) than joining the dole.

The argument that the staff can transfer to other bases is crazy. Those planes will be moved to some European destinations. The Irish staff are not going to pack up their lives and move to God knows where in Europe, possibly learn a new language so they can keep their job.

Yes the shops will be open.............for awhile. No customers means no business which means loss of jobs

acalmenvoy

Whatever you think of O'Leary we've all flew from Shannon on flights that we would never have before, this is a disaster for both Shannon and Limerick, simple as....

phog

acalmenvoy wrote: »

Whatever you think of O'Leary we've all flew from Shannon on flights that we would never have before, this is a disaster for both Shannon and Limerick, simple as....

Agree but should Shannon let Ryanair bully them into having his flights there at his prices? Shannon should go out to the other low cost airlines and try to get them to use Shannon as a hub.

robd55

Have they anounced what flights are being lost yet?

jmccoy

If Easyjet, BMI Baby, Flybe or Aer Arran can be tempted to set up base there with a quality section of routes it would be great. If they can't we are fupped.

Berty

jmccoy wrote: »

If Easyjet, BMI Baby, Flybe or Aer Arran can be tempted to set up base there with a quality section of routes it would be great. If they can't we are fupped.

Virgin Airways did and Shannon refused to lower their prices so they picked up sticks and never looked back.

As Shannon is operated by DAA they may assume that if they lower prices in Shannon then they must in Dublin also.

highlydebased

Berty wrote: »

Virgin Airways did and Shannon refused to lower their prices so they picked up sticks and never looked back.

As Shannon is operated by DAA they may assume that if they lower prices in Shannon then they must in Dublin also.

That was Virgin Express. They ceased operations shortly afterwards- Separate to the current Virgin Atlantic.

EUjet operated a nice little operation from Shannon, they claimed to have made some amount of money, was a shame they were in a poor financial situation

phog

drkpower wrote: »

year passengers
2003 2.5
2004 2.5
2005 3.3
2006 3.5
2007 3.6
2008 3.1

If these are the passenger numbers from Ryanair then either he wont pull out or if he does then Shannon should have little problem getting another low cost airline to land there, I'd guess most wouldn't be bothered trying while Micko is around but if ups and leaves for Cork or Kerry then it might just make them think again.

He'll only be a big loss if another carrier doesn't come to Shannon.

sioda

All Ruinair will do is reverse its sectors thus not needing a base in Shannon. So instead of passengers in Girona boarding a flight that has come from Shannon. It will be people in shannon boarding a plane that has come from girona.

O Leary is no fool. I was on a flight from Carcasonne last week that was full as was the flight I took out to Girona.

What I want to see is Shannon taken off the DAA and allowed to compete directly against Dublin for business. With the pre clearance and the better facilities now in place in Shannon I dont see why they should be strangled by the DAA who lets be honest dont give a fiddlers about the Shannon Region.

phog

sioda wrote: »

All Ruinair will do is reverse its sectors thus not needing a base in Shannon. So instead of passengers in Girona boarding a flight that has come from Shannon. It will be people in shannon boarding a plane that has come from girona.

But he's hardly goning to fly in an empty plane just to fill it in Shannon, surely, the plane will arrive from somewhere with passengers on it?

KetchupKid

drkpower wrote: »

You are kidding me? While I am no fan of O'Learys, Shannon needs everything it can get. 150 jobs, 1.5 million visitors, yeah, who neeeds 'em.....? Dont let a unon anti-Ryanair mindset take away from the importance of regualr services to & from Shannon/mid-west. I dont see another operator filling even half those routes. Wake up.

I agree with that 100%!! This government is so out off it and has little regard for the West, so they'll be yelling "We won't let O'Leary bully us!", as Ryanair pulls out of Shannon and another 150 jobs go and 1.5 million visitors go. I agree and I don't want to be bullied, but sometimes you have to bite your tongue and give in, especially considering the state of the economy and the West is getting the worst of it. If Shannon was in Dublin or better yet Offaly, I think Cowen would be singing a different tune. As I said, I don't believe in giving in to bullies, but if the bully is twice your size and death is the only alternative and this is the situation considering the current financial state of the country, sometimes you just have to bend over. But no, Fianna Fail will continue to sing "I won't be bullied" as the West goes down the loo!!

phog

KetchupKid wrote: »

I agree with that 100%!! This government is so out off it and has little regard for the West, so they'll be yelling "We won't let O'Leary bully us!", as Ryanair pulls out of Shannon and another 150 jobs go and 1.5 million visitors go. I agree and I don't want to be bullied, but sometimes you have to bite your tongue and give in, especially considering the state of the economy and the West is getting the worst of it. If Shannon was in Dublin or better yet Offaly, I think Cowen would be singing a different tune. As I said, I don't believe in giving in to bullies, but if the bully is twice your size and death is the only alternative and this is the situation considering the current financial state of the country, sometimes you just have to bend over. But no, Fianna Fail will continue to sing "I won't be bullied" as the West goes down the loo!!

At a guess I'd say most Offaly people would prefer the journey to Shannon than Dublin airport so the dig at Cowen is just that.

BTW, if Ryanair gets his way with airports and reduces the landing charges how do people think the airports will survive - charge us the travelling public more for use of their services. He has aleady affected their profits by reducing the waiting times at airports and now with only one carry on bag there is less and less "duty free" shopping being done.

sioda

phog wrote: »

But he's hardly goning to fly in an empty plane just to fill it in Shannon, surely, the plane will arrive from somewhere with passengers on it?

Sorry it will fly full from girona so they have to get up at all hours

KetchupKid

phog wrote: »

At a guess I'd say most Offaly people would prefer the journey to Shannon than Dublin airport so the dig at Cowen is just that.

Sorry, but your wrong on that one, check your Geography. Tullamore to Shannon is 152Km and 2-1/2 hours, where the trip to Dublin Airport is only 108Km and with the new road it's only 1-1/2 hours. I have friends in Tullamore and they all say it's a lot handier to go to Dublin, check Google Maps.

It's not just a dig, but a fact! All those fat f-ers would let the West crash and burn, they don't care. As far as O'Leray, reduced revenue in Shannon is a lot better than none at all!

phog

KetchupKid wrote: »

Sorry, but your wrong on that one, check your Geography. Tullamore to Shannon is 152Km and 2-1/2 hours, where the trip to Dublin Airport is only 108Km and with the new road it's only 1-1/2 hours. I have friends in Tullamore and they all say it's a lot handier to go to Dublin, check Google Maps.

It's not just a dig, but a fact! All those fat f-ers would let the West crash and burn, they don't care. As far as O'Leray, reduced revenue in Shannon is a lot better than none at all!

I wasnt talking about KMs. I'm talking about time spent in traffic and queues at the airport, ask anyone in the midlands, check holiday flights next time you're on one and you'll find if theres a similar flight out of Shannon then the majority from the midlands will travel to Shannon rather than Dublin.

opa01_2000

This threat is a smokescreen for Ryanair's current difficulties. The truth is that they have been found out as was recently described "they are not as cheap as they would like to pretend but the nastiness makes them feel cheap".

The vast majority of people I know would fly Ryanair if they've got no other choice. In Ireland and the UK it has become clear that the only way they can fill flights is to put on offers - so today you can see they are expecting another massive loss in the 2nd half of this year despite fuel prices being very low. So they have to move the bases elsewhere where people have not yet realised how badly they will be treated. At some stage they will run out of bases to turn to. At the same time they need someone to blame for their losses i.e. Irish & UK govts, BAA and DAA.

For me this is the best news for Shannon I've heard in a long time. If there is indeed the market for 1.5m passengers one of the other low-cost airlines will move in and will treat both employees and customers with a bit more respect. Celebrations all round...

Henry Ford III

opa01_2000 wrote: »

...For me this is the best news for Shannon I've heard in a long time. If there is indeed the market for 1.5m passengers one of the other low-cost airlines will move in and will treat both employees and customers with a bit more respect. Celebrations all round...

I think pretty much the opposite. If Ryanair pull out Shannon is doomed.

h3000

Henry Ford III wrote: »

I think pretty much the opposite. If Ryanair pull out Shannon is doomed.

+1

MrFireBox

I think if Ryanair pulled put of Shannon it would be a disaster. I don't see why some people are so anti Ryanair, in my opinion it is one of the best things to happen to Ireland in the last 15 years. I've been to places I would have never been able to afford to visit if Ryanair hadn't been created. As for all the anti Michael O'Leary sentiment, if every company in Ireland was run as well as Ryanair half of them wouldn't be going bust.

barrycork

If they do as they say and cut all the european routes why the heck can you still go online at this moment and book a flight for next summer,will they issue refunds, knowing them they will have some clause that you will only get ten percent back or something like this......

highlydebased

barrycork wrote: »

If they do as they say and cut all the european routes why the heck can you still go online at this moment and book a flight for next summer,will they issue refunds, knowing them they will have some clause that you will only get ten percent back or something like this......

They don't seem to know what they are cutting yet, they seem to be using Shannon as a bargaining tool to have this travel tax removed. Even still it takes a few days to work a new schedule out. I'd say hold off a week or so if you are booking flights to see what happens

KetchupKid

I agree, if Ryan Air pulls out, Shannon is doomed. It' strange, I hear so many people giving out about RyanAir, and although they aren't the greatest airline in the world, I'd take them before Aer Lingus. In my opinion, Aer Lingus is incorporating all of Ryanairs tricks and hidden fees, but despite that many of their base prices are still very high. It make me laugh how Aerlingus now bills itself as the "Low cost Airline", what a joke. Say what you want about RyanAir, but if you play the game right, i.e. don't check bags, no meals on plane (why bother all Airline food is terrible anyway), book online, etc. you still get a very inexpensive flight. Aerlingus is incorporating many of the same policies, but many of their prices seem to be getting higher. With RyanAir, you get what it says on the tin, not the case with Aerlingus, maybe that's why RyanAir is still able to turn a profit.

Finally, Shannon airport is a key part of infastructure needed for the West, with no flights out of Shannon, the West will be doomed. That's why we should of had a National Airline to save that key Infastructure.

critical alp

I agree that the DAA authority should be removed from Snn so they can make their own decisions. Right now, it is a personal vendetta between MOL and the Daa with Snn being used as a pawn. I think shannon is a wonderful airport with bags and bags of potential if we could remove this FAS style management! If Snn loses Ryanair the whole West coast will suffer enormously, as if we're not already suffering!!!!

opa01_2000

KetchupKid wrote: »

I agree, if Ryan Air pulls out, Shannon is doomed. It' strange, I hear so many people giving out about RyanAir, and although they aren't the greatest airline in the world, I'd take them before Aer Lingus. In my opinion, Aer Lingus is incorporating all of Ryanairs tricks and hidden fees, but despite that many of their base prices are still very high. It make me laugh how Aerlingus now bills itself as the "Low cost Airline", what a joke. Say what you want about RyanAir, but if you play the game right, i.e. don't check bags, no meals on plane (why bother all Airline food is terrible anyway), book online, etc. you still get a very inexpensive flight. Aerlingus is incorporating many of the same policies, but many of their prices seem to be getting higher. With RyanAir, you get what it says on the tin, not the case with Aerlingus, maybe that's why RyanAir is still able to turn a profit.

I really don't understand this. I have been flying on a weekly basis from Belfast to London for work for close to two years now. Every time I book (usually 5 or 6 weeks in advance) I compare the costs of flights between FR from Belfast City to Stansted (although this doesn't really suit me) and EI from Belfast International to Heathrow. On every occasion I have booked EI have been cheaper - last week (booking for early December) EI were £100.38 return including card fee and one bag while FR were £138.63 for the same (with online check-in, one bag, card fee - more than £38 of a difference even without the extra charges FR will try to hit me with.

My few attempts with FR were awful with delays and cancellations being the order of the day every Friday evening.

Also although FR are promising 1.2m passengers to SHN they have only delivered 600k so far - a little bit of exaggeration perhaps???

Much better, in my opinion, if SHN get EI back in with lower fares, much better Customer Service and a bit of common decency.

Liam79

2 points.
1. Ryanair are a private for profit company. They owe the shannon region nothing and are perfectly within their rights to pull out 100% if they want to. Its business people!
2. Until Shannon get away from the DAA and become independent, its in trouble. Cork will surpass it as the second airport within 3 years

chuckles30

I fly regularly with Ryanair to the UK and I have never had a problem with them. We all know the rules on weight limits and size restrictions on hand luggage.......the problems only arise when people don't read the t&c's on the website/tickets!!! Also - I have to say as a regular traveller, the staff are always courteous and what's more, they seem to stay with the airline as I have seen the same people over & over again.

This will be devestating for the region if they pull out........and ok he might reverse some of the routes & relocate some of the staff, but there will be job losses!! As someone pointed out, they are providing the vast majority of flights and passengers in and out of the airport. We will be left with no connections to anywhere soon.

I think the travel tax has to go........it was a stupid time to bring it in - we need to be encouraging as many people as possible into the country.....not discouraging them. And the DAA need to get their noses out of Shannon & let them make their own business decisions. There are other ways for the airport to make money......they could rent out more retail space/restaurant space etc......that way you might actually have a choice of what to eat/drink in the airport. That's what happens in everyother airport, but no, in Shannon we still have very limited choice.

Mc Love

opa01_2000 wrote: »

KetchupKid wrote: »

I agree, if Ryan Air pulls out, Shannon is doomed. It' strange, I hear so many people giving out about RyanAir, and although they aren't the greatest airline in the world, I'd take them before Aer Lingus. In my opinion, Aer Lingus is incorporating all of Ryanairs tricks and hidden fees, but despite that many of their base prices are still very high. It make me laugh how Aerlingus now bills itself as the "Low cost Airline", what a joke. Say what you want about RyanAir, but if you play the game right, i.e. don't check bags, no meals on plane (why bother all Airline food is terrible anyway), book online, etc. you still get a very inexpensive flight. Aerlingus is incorporating many of the same policies, but many of their prices seem to be getting higher. With RyanAir, you get what it says on the tin, not the case with Aerlingus, maybe that's why RyanAir is still able to turn a profit.

I really don't understand this. I have been flying on a weekly basis from Belfast to London for work for close to two years now. Every time I book (usually 5 or 6 weeks in advance) I compare the costs of flights between FR from Belfast City to Stansted (although this doesn't really suit me) and EI from Belfast International to Heathrow. On every occasion I have booked EI have been cheaper - last week (booking for early December) EI were £100.38 return including card fee and one bag while FR were £138.63 for the same (with online check-in, one bag, card fee - more than £38 of a difference even without the extra charges FR will try to hit me with.

My few attempts with FR were awful with delays and cancellations being the order of the day every Friday evening.

Also although FR are promising 1.2m passengers to SHN they have only delivered 600k so far - a little bit of exaggeration perhaps???

Much better, in my opinion, if SHN get EI back in with lower fares, much better Customer Service and a bit of common decency.

Would totally agree, EI are a much better airline that FR will ever be!

Henry Ford III

opa01_2000 wrote: »

...
I really don't understand this. I have been flying on a weekly basis from Belfast to London for work for close to two years now. Every time I book (usually 5 or 6 weeks in advance) I compare the costs of flights between FR from Belfast City to Stansted (although this doesn't really suit me) and EI from Belfast International to Heathrow. On every occasion I have booked EI have been cheaper - last week (booking for early December) EI were £100.38 return including card fee and one bag while FR were £138.63 for the same (with online check-in, one bag, card fee - more than £38 of a difference even without the extra charges FR will try to hit me with.

My few attempts with FR were awful with delays and cancellations being the order of the day every Friday evening.

Also although FR are promising 1.2m passengers to SHN they have only delivered 600k so far - a little bit of exaggeration perhaps???

Much better, in my opinion, if SHN get EI back in with lower fares, much better Customer Service and a bit of common decency.

Where in Belfast do you fly from?

Itsdacraic

I've gone anywhere decent that Ryanair fly to from Shannon. Hopefully someone new will come in and open different routes. Seriously though, Ryanair have said that Shannon was a loss maker for the group year on year. Ryanair are one of the biggest players in worl aviation at the moment. If they can't make Shannon Airport pay I can't see many other smaller airlines coming in to take their place.

lasno

Government says it will hold talks with Ryanair to discuss the travel tax.
If the tax was removed it would call Ryanair's bluff who have said that removal of the tax would save the Shannon routes.

http://breaking.tcm.ie/business/govt-to-talk-to-ryanair-about-travel-tax-433216.html

opa01_2000

Henry Ford III wrote: »

Where in Belfast do you fly from?

Belfast International

ZzubZzub

This saddens me!! I fly usually twice a month between Shannon and Stansted. There used to be 4 flights daily from each airport with Ryanair, and it's now been cut to 2- either ridiculously early or the latest possible.

I love Ryanair, and think O'Leary is a fantastic business man. I've never had any problems with them!!

Though if they leave Shannon, there's always Knock. It'd be a terrible loss to Shannon though.

1huge1

Well the government did say on Friday that they are going to review the travel tax... its a start

Champ

Emphasis on "review". This is our government we're talking about after all.:(
I think after all is said and done our esteemed leaders will hold us in awe after their exhausting review:rolleyes:.

barrycork

I see as of yesterday 10/11/09 ryanair have taken off all of there flights to Europe off ther site so you can no longer book a flight out of Shannon It looks like the threat to pull out has materialised........

celliman

Plenty of flights available to malaga still,wow good price .:D

Bandearg

absolutely p%ssed off with Ryanair right now, myself and my partner are getting married in Spain next June and have booked flights for ourselves and guests and none of these flights are now showing, i rang Ryanair customer service and all they could tell me was that the flights are 'suspended' until further notice...when i asked for a full refund i was told none would be given at the moment as even though flights are 'suspended' they are still 'valid' i.e. havent been cancelled...have you ever heard so much crap in your life? So basically I was told to keep checking the website for updates...how long can I keep checking the website?? Until I get an email a week before my wedding to say the flights were cancelled?

I wouldve previously been a fan of O Learys but when your on the receiving end of this extremely unorthodox, irratic and poor service you wouldnt be either! Treating passengers as pawns in this argument with Shannon, he has a brass neck on him, should be ashamed of himself.