Ryanair has announced that it has been forced to cut its aircraft based in Portugal from seven to four, causing the cancellation of 5,000 flights.
The major airline says around 900,000 passengers and 19 routes to Lisbon are affected for Summer 2022.
It says this is due to Portuguese carrier TAP’s continued blocking of landing slots, which TAP cannot and will not use at Lisbon Portela this summer.
These cancellations reduce travel options for citizens/visitors, but also results in the loss of 150 highly paid aviation jobs in Lisbon, the airline added.
Ryanair confirmed the thee aircraft and 19 lost routes will return to Lisbon in October 2022 for Ryanair’s Winter schedule, since the airline already has sufficient winter slots in Lisbon for these flights.
Ryanair’s Group CEO, Michael O’Leary, apologised to customers and said: “We deeply regret all these unnecessary disruptions to passengers on these cancelled flights and the loss of 19 routes caused solely by TAP’s blocking of unused Lisbon Portela slots in Summer 2022.
"This anti-competitive slot blocking obstructs growth, and delays the recovery of traffic, tourism, and jobs at Lisbon Portela, to the detriment of the Lisbon economy.
"Our last efforts to request help from Prime Minister Costa have fallen on deaf ears with zero reply. Sadly, Ryanair is now forced to reduce its fleet of aircraft from 7 to 4 in Lisbon in Summer 2022, a loss of 150 highly paid aviation job losses, over 900,000 fewer passengers, and over €250m in lost tourism revenues for the city of Lisbon this summer.
"The loss of these 19 Lisbon routes and 5,000 flights this Summer, means that Lisbon’s post Covid recovery will now lag behind other major EU capital cities. Ryanair remains committed to returning these 3 aircraft and 19 routes to Lisbon in Oct for its winter schedule, when we will resume driving traffic, tourism & jobs recovery in Lisbon.
"All passengers affected by these S22 cancellations will receive email notifications later this week offering them full refunds or alternative flights to/from Lisbon for S22.“
19 lost routes in Lisbon for summer 2022
- Agadir
- Alghero
- Alicante
- Bari
- Billund
- Birmingham
- Bournemouth
- Baden-Baden
- Lanzarote
- Madrid
- Malta
- Memmingen
- Oujda
- Palermo
- Perpignan
- Poitiers
- Tenerife
- Wroclaw
- Zaragoza
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