CORONAVIRUS CRISIS: Ryanair announce ‘limited schedule’ for coming days to ‘keep skies open’

Europe’s largest budget airline Ryanair has announced a limited schedule of flights for the coming days to/from the UK to facilitate their passengers to deal with emergencies that may require urgent travel over the coming days and weeks.

Announcing the details, Michael O’Leary Group CEO, said: All of the team at Ryanair are working hard to provide repatriation and rescue flights for many EU Governments. We are also offering our aircraft for emergency medical flights, including to/from China. Our pilots, engineers, and other airline professionals will keep trying to assist EU Governments where we can through this Covid-19 crisis.

“As most EU countries have imposed flight bans or other restrictions, over 90% of Ryanair’s aircraft will be grounded for the coming weeks. We will comply with these restrictions at all times. We are all working with EU Governments to try to keep some minimum flight links open for emergency reasons, even though the passenger loads on these flights will be very low.

“For the next week (Fri 27 Mar to Thur 2 Apr), Ryanair will operate daily or weekly flights on the following routes; (all flight info details are on our website at www.ryanair.com).

“All these aircraft are disinfected daily. With low loads and no trolley service, social distancing will be optimised on-board, and we ask all passengers to cooperate fully with our crews who are doing their best in difficult times to maintain vital links to/from Ireland and to/from the UK to facilitate our passengers and their families to deal with emergencies that may require urgent travel over the coming days and weeks.

“Ryanair apologises sincerely for the unprecedented grounding of our aircraft fleet, and any schedule disruptions this may have caused, but we must all work together with EU Governments to minimise the impact of Covid-19 on our citizens and our health services

As we all work to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic, let’s take care of ourselves, each other, our families, and our communities.”

Previously O’Leary has said, “Over the past few days, the spread of the Covid-19 Virus has transformed the lives of people all over Europe and
the World. Across Europe, Governments have imposed unprecedented restrictions on citizen movement, starting with flight bans which have closed Europe’s skies to all but a tiny number of repatriation/rescue flights. We apologise sincerely for these disruptions which were necessary, and unavoidable, to help EU Governments limit the spread of Covid-19 to protect our citizens.

“As a Group of Airlines, we expect most of our flights to be grounded from Tues 24th March onwards. We have offered our aircraft to all EU Governments, both for rescue flights and to operate essential flights for the movement of vital medicines, personal protective equipment, and if necessary, emergency food supplies. As Europe’s borders become congested or closed, it’s vital Ryanair plays its part to keep vital medicines and food supplies moving. We are continuing to work with EU Governments on rescue flights to return stranded passengers to their home country. In all cases, these flights take place under maximum safety, with daily disinfecting of aircraft, and no trolley service to minimise social contact. The safety and well-being of our crews and passengers is our no.1 priority.

“At this time, no one knows how long this Covid shutdown will last. The experience in China suggests a 3-month period for the spread of the virus to be contained and reduced. We do not expect to operate flights during the months of April and May at this time, but this will clearly depend upon Government advice, and we will in all cases comply with these instructions.

“While the immediate future is uncertain, it is important to remember that, like all pandemics, this crisis will pass. Our Governments and health agencies are taking unprecedented action, but they require our support, so by working together we can all help to eliminate Covid-19 and allow our lives to return to normality. In Ryanair, Buzz, Lauda, and Malta Air, we will do everything we can to keep our aircraft, our crews, and our engineering teams operational so that when Europe defeats this Covid-19 pandemic, we are ready to return to flying, to allow Europe’s citizens to go back to work, to visit friends/family, and to rebuild Europe’s tourism industry, upon which so many millions of jobs and families depend. Rest assured that we and the 18,000 aviation professionals in the Ryanair Group of Airlines will do everything we can to support our Governments, our people, and our customers during these unprecedented times.

Together, let’s all take care of ourselves, our families and our communities!”