Keeping travel restrictions would be ‘act of self-harm’, says Ryanair

RYANAIR has warned that if Ireland’s Covid-19 restrictions for air travel aren’t changed the Government will inflict the “single biggest act of selfharm” to the economy since the trade war with Britain in the 1930s.

Its chief executive Eddie Wilson is to appear at the Oireachtas Transport Committee today and a submission from Ryanair also renews the airline’s warning that its Cork and Shannon bases will close this winter if the Government doesn’t ease travel rules.

The airline will join others like the DAA at the Oireachtas Transport Committee today to brief TDs and Senators on the devastating impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the aviation sector.

In its submission, Ryanair accuses the Government of adopting a “failed” 14-day quarantine policy and cutting Ireland off from the rest of Europe with a “failed” green list that currently allows unrestricted travel to four “tiny” countries.

It argues that Government policy saw the collapse of the 2020 summer season. It warns a lack of action will “see Ryanair significantly reduce its capacity in Dublin, close its Cork and Shannon base, cut capacity to Kerry and Knock, wiping out connections to the UK and the EU to Irish regional airports.”

It adds: “With no clarity for summer [2021] on travel restrictions or incentives which are clearly set out in the Government Aviation Recovery Taskforce Report, the implications for next summer will be devastating for Irish tourism, which supports 325,000 jobs.”

The carrier calls on the Government to adopt the EU’s planned ‘traffic light’ system for air travel. The Coalition has signalled an intention to use the system which would see destinations placed in green, amber and red categories depending on levels of the virus.

Ryanair says that if the EU plan is adopted without restrictions on green and amber member states as well as the UK, the Cork and Shannon bases will remain open this winter.

The airline also calls for the Government to implement the Aviation Taskforce’s recommendation that a rebate of all charges at Irish Airports be brought in for three years for all airlines.

A DAA statement says it has accumulated more than €150m in losses since the pandemic began and calls for the Government to approve a “rapid turnaround, low cost scalable [Covid-19] testing solution” for use in Irish airports.