Axe hangs over 300 jobs after Ryanair closes airport base
Airline blames passenger duty charges and Brexit
More than 300 jobs are at risk after Ryanair announced it will close its Paisley base at Glasgow Airport.
The airline will slash the number of routes from the Renfrewshire transport hub from 23 to just three in November, blaming the burden of high Air Passenger Duty charges and the impact of Brexit.
Airline bosses say the changes will place around 300 jobs at risk as it looks to restructure its operations.
Ryanair’s chief commercial officer, David O’Brien, said: “Ryanair regrets these cuts in the weaker Glasgow market where efforts to stimulate low fare demand are severely hampered by the continuing burden of Air Passenger Duty.
“As a result, we will transfer our Glasgow International based aircraft to Edinburgh in November where we will offer 11 new lowfare routes – 45 in total including London Stansted – and deliver over 3.5 million passengers per annum at Edinburgh Airport.”
Glasgow Airport chiefs have called on the Scottish Government to push ahead with plans to cut Air Passenger Duty to prevent further damage to the industry in Scotland.
A spokesman said: “We are bitterly disappointed at this decision by Ryanair, which is not only damaging for Glasgow and wider Scottish connectivity, but will impact on approximately 300 jobs locally.
“This is a result of the airline’s review of its single aircraft bases, however, we have been left in no doubt it is also a consequence of the Scottish Government’s inability to introduce its proposed 50 per cent cut in Air Departure Tax.
“Despite clear and repeated warnings from both airports and airlines about the potential impact of this policy not being implemented, we are now faced with a stark scenario that includes the loss of 20 services and a significant number of jobs.
“This is the second example in as many months of an airline cutting capacity in Scotland because of the lack of movement on ADT.
“The reality is this capacity will be reallocated elsewhere in Europe to countries with more favourable aviation taxation policies to Scotland’s detriment.
“We cannot sit back and risk Scotland’s connectivity being further eroded. It is imperative there is immediate action on ADT.”
SNP MSP for Paisley George Adam says political parties who have stood in the government’s way as it tries to remove ADT must shoulder some of the blame.
He said: “The news that Ryanair are removing these services from Glasgow Airport is a disappointing blow.
“There are now 300 people facing the prospect of losing their jobs, affecting their wider families.
“We also have the prospect of one of Renfrewshire’s largest employers losing flights and customers, something that should concern everyone.
“We cannot react with total surprise and disbelief at this announcement. There was always the prospect that the political parties against the Scottish Government’s plans to reduce and eventually remove Air Departure Duty could result in decisions like this.
“Those that advocate continuing with ADT must ensure that they can defend their stance in light of this decision.
“The political par t i e s advocating Brexit must also look at the decisions that are being made and explain how removing ourselves from the free market will improve people’s lives when all the tariffs associated with the removal of free trade are introduced.”