FIGHT OR FLIGHT
WELSH GOVERNMENT AND RYANAIR ON COLLISION COURSE AFTER CALLS TO STOP FLIGHTS THIS WEEK FROM CARDIFF AIRPORT
THE Welsh Government has asked airline Ryanair to cancel its planned flights from Cardiff Airport this Friday.
The airport, which is whollyowned by the Welsh Government, has scheduled Ryanair flights to Faro and Malaga, as the first phase of a planned return of commercial flights.
The Welsh Government still has a legal five mile restriction for non essential travel in place, although that could be lifted next week as part of the easing of Covid-19 measures.
The issue for those booked on Ryanair flights is how they can comply with the Welsh Government’s travel rule.
A Welsh Government spokesman said: “We don’t believe these flights should be going ahead and we have written to Ryanair to ask them to postpone.”
To slow the spread of coronavirus, the law in Wales requires people to ‘stay local’ and not to travel further than five miles unless they have a reasonable excuse.
While there are legitimate reasons why flights can operate, the onus is on individuals to obey the rules.
In addition to this, rules on quarantine are still unchanged. All travellers entering Wales from overseas will need to self-isolate for 14 days to prevent the further spread of coronavirus.
The Ryanair flights have been on sale since the middle of 2019. The Welsh Government said it was a matter for the independent management team at Cardiff Airport to make decisions about commercial operations at the airport.
Ryanair has been contacted for comment.
The airport ended all commercial flights in March due to the pandemic. However, to comply with Civil Aviation Authority regulations, it has remained in an operational mode. There has been some freight traffic including flights bringing in supplies of personal protective equipment.
In a statement it said: “Cardiff Airport has remained open throughout the pandemic to support essential flying including critical cargo and medical flights.
“During July our airlines will slowly restart flying passenger services, increasing in August. All airlines are making decisions about reinstating flights on a global basis and the situation remains fluid.
“We continue to follow government guidance and work closely with Public Health Wales to keep the safety of our team and customers as our number one priority.
During July airlines Vueling, Balkan and Eastern Airways, will implement a gradual return of flights at Cardiff Airport.
TUI and KLM also plan a return in August. Qatar Airways is looking at return in October.
Meanwhile, in a blow to the Welsh aerospace industry, it was last night announced that Airbus is planning to cut 1,700 jobs in the UK as a result of the coronavirus crisis, the company has announced.
The news is a huge blow to the planemaker’s site at Broughton in Flintshire, where wings are manufactured
The job cuts will fall on the business’ commercial aircraft side with 6,080 staff at the wing assembly site at Broughton and about 3,000 workers at Filton, near Bristol, particularly vulnerable. Five hundred workers with agency Guidant already face redundancy.
Airbus announced that it is cutting 15,000 jobs across its global operations, which employ a total of 134,000.
A company statement said last night: “Airbus has announced plans to adapt its global workforce and resize its commercial aircraft activity in response to the Covid-19 crisis.
“This adaptation is expected to result in a reduction of around 15,000 positions no later than summer 2021.
“The information and consultation process with social partners has begun with a view to reaching agreements for implementation starting in autumn 2020.”
Airbus said commercial aircraft business activity has dropped by almost 40% in recent months as the industry faces an “unprecedented” crisis.