Ryanair quits Manchester with loss of 600 jobs

August 17, 2009

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Low-fare airline Ryanair is to close or switch nine of its 10 routes at Manchester airport from October.

The Irish budget carrier blamed Manchester airport's refusal to lower its charges for the decision, which will mean the loss of up to 600 local jobs.

A total of 44 weekly Ryanair flights will be lost at Manchester from October 1, with the loss of 60,000 passengers a year.

Ryanair said it had offered Manchester an additional 28 weekly flights and 400,000 new passengers which would have created 400 new jobs if the airport 'reduced its high charges'.

But airport bosses said they did not think the charges they imposed were unreasonable and turned down Ryanair's offer.

This means Ryanair's Manchester routes to/from Barcelona (Girona), Bremen in Germany, Brussels (Charleroi), Cagliari in Sardinia, Dusseldorf (Weeze), Frankfurt (Hahn), Marseille, Milan (Bergamo) and Shannon will cease from October 1.

Passengers affected will be emailed directly by Ryanair and provided with a full refund or the alternative of flying to some destinations from “competing, lower-cost airports” - East Midlands, or the recently-announced new Ryanair base at Leeds Bradford and Liverpool.

Ryanair's Stephen McNamara said: “Ryanair continues to lower fares to encourage travel, but with passengers paying lower fares airports must lower their charges - particularly high-cost airports like Manchester, Stansted and Dublin.

“Ryanair had offered new routes, traffic and growth to Manchester airport but since they prefer to preserve their high-cost base than to grow, Ryanair will now switch/close nine Manchester routes.”

Ryanair had offered new routes, traffic and growth to Manchester airport but since they prefer to preserve their high-cost base than to grow, Ryanair will now switch/close nine Manchester routes
Ryanair's Stephen McNamara

A Manchester airport spokesman said: “Notwithstanding all of our investment in Manchester airport, including during the current recession, we don't believe that charges as low as £3 per passenger are unreasonable. Clearly, Ryanair do and that's regrettable.

“We've consistently cut our charges for the last 15 years, even when faced with increased costs such as security.

“Passengers will still be able to travel directly to the majority of the destinations affected by choosing other airlines.”

Earlier, Travel Trade Gazette quoted Manchester airport's managing director Andrew Cornish as saying: “Ryanair made us an offer we could refuse.”

Ryanair has already announced cutbacks in winter 2009/10 flights at Stansted and Dublin.

Speaking on the Manchester announcement today, Gary Pearce of the GMB union said: “Ryanair has threatened cuts at Stansted, partly for the same reason. It is not clear if this is a negotiating tactic or if they will go through with this threat.”

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Mark, South Manchester (17/08/2009 at 13:58)

Lets hope "our local paper" responds then, by refusing to carry any future adverts for this airline??

Chris R, Irlam (17/08/2009 at 14:01)

Why is it so expensive to fly from Manchester Airport anyway? Plenty of times it's cheaper to drive & pay to park at Liverpool or Leeds/Bradford when heading into Europe on business. Madness.

Almighty God, Salford (17/08/2009 at 14:07)

I blame Manchester City Council, since they own the airport, and why do the council own the airport anyway? Surely that's a confilct of interests.

Red Army (17/08/2009 at 14:08)

Rip off airline anyway, nice to here them moaning about high charges for a change. My 8 euro flight to dublin the other week ending up costing over 100 euros by the time I had finished the booking. Sorry for the people who will lose there jobs but with online check in and Ryanair now charging 20 euro if you fail to check in online!! looks like they will make all there check in and ground staff redundant in the not so distant future anyway.

Chapman (17/08/2009 at 14:12)

I bet the company that was going to supply stools for Ryanair flights in the future is distraught.

Redcap49, Stockport (17/08/2009 at 14:17)

Typical Ryanair.No consideration for their passengers or the staff who will lose their jobs.They just want everything on the cheap so that they can pretend to keep their fares low.They might have low base fares but by the time you have added the cost of checking in online,checking in baggage,carrying a bag of duty free,etc,they can be more expensive than the full services airlines.

tiggerluc, somewhere in shaw (17/08/2009 at 14:17)

I thought it was all the areas councils that run this Airport - unless Manchester City has the biggest share holdings?

Dave Dave (17/08/2009 at 14:19)

How exactly will this lead to the loss of 600 local jobs? Ryanair hardly employ any check-in staff, and the baggage is handled by the airport baggage handlers, so only limited losses on those fronts. Other than that there's the cabin crew who are pretty mobile anyway - they don't necessarily live locally, especially with Ryanair who haven't been operating out of Manchester for long.

Almighty God - how exactly is the various councils owning the airport a conflict of interest? It conflicts with their aims of creating jobs, promoting tourism and international business... erm no, it's more like a synergy of interest. Think before you speak!

Lord De Las Moscas, Piggly Wiggly Farm (17/08/2009 at 14:20)

They would be more suited to Liverpool airport. Dreadful experince flying with these people and I literally would not fly with them if it was free and they offered to pay me £50. They treat you like dog faeces.

Politically damaged, Castlefield (17/08/2009 at 14:22)

If the City Council really want to help stimulate employment in Manchester would it not have made sense to agree to Ryanair's demand for lower charges, thus saving jobs at the airport and allowing business travellers to fly in and out? Otherwise what is the point of the 10 Councils owning the airport anyway?Might as well sell it to the private sector.

mrcakey (17/08/2009 at 14:23)

You can see how they end up flying to airports that are 60 miles away from their supposed destination can't you?

"What, you don't want to give us slots at your airport for less than you're charging everyone else? Right we'll go elsewhere then"

Goodbye and good riddance you embarrassing waste of space. May I never have the misfortune to fly on your shower of an airline.

MPs gravy train, UK (17/08/2009 at 14:26)

Almighty God. All the 10 Greater Manchester Councils own the airport. And they don't run it. A Board of Directors and a Management Team do that.

But there is a theme appearing here. Last week Manchester announced a further fall in passengers blaming the recession. Yet BAA and Heathrow announced an increase. Manchester is now no larger than it was 10 years ago when it demanded a second runway to grow to 50m passengers a year. Yet it can't get past 20m. Other airports like Liverpool have grown from almost zero to 6m in the past 10 years. Something is wrong somewhere.

Gatley Blue (17/08/2009 at 14:30)

"Almighty God, Salford
I blame Manchester City Council, since they own the airport, and why do the council own the airport anyway? Surely that's a confilct of interests."
MANCHESTER CITY COUNCIL DOES NOT OWN MANCHESTER AIRPORT>
It is owned by a all Greater Manchester Councils and is run by a board and is a limited company. Ryan Air knew the charges that apply to Airlines when they moved in, It's just in this economic climate it doesn't suit them anymore, TOUGH....

Andy ex-Stockport, Elsewhere (17/08/2009 at 14:35)

Ryan Air's not that cheap when you've got past the ad and finished your booking like many on here have discovered. Still compared to others it's often a bit cheaper and as someone originally from the Manchester area who now lives abroad, visiting family is becoming increasingly expensive compared to a few years ago. It's ridiculous having to scour the net for an afforable flight to the likes of Scouseland or East Midlands when I'm visiting people who live twenty minutes car drive from Ringway. The council needs to react, it's supposed to be providing a service to the residents of Greater Manchester.

Almighty God, Salford (17/08/2009 at 14:36)

You're missing my point, which is the council should look after the city, not be out and about running/owning business. What is this soviet russia? why don't they go and buy a few chippies while they're at it, and a casino, a go cart track, some pubs and maybe a cinema.

Ms B, Manchester (17/08/2009 at 14:40)

Good riddance, they don't employ many locals anyway, in fact they employ as few people as possible. They are getting rid of check-in desks, so anybody who is daft enough to fly with them will have to do their own check-in prior to arrival at the airport. Personally, I have never flown with them and wouldn't do if they paid me. Reading about that weasel Ryan is enough. Hopefully he will go bust before much longer.

the Dodger, Yorks Manc (17/08/2009 at 14:56)

I live 8miles from Leeds/Bradford Airport. It is almost always cheaper to fly anywhere from Manchester.

The Ryanair experience is truly dreadful also. Just thought I'd add that in passing.

dessie, manchester (17/08/2009 at 15:00)

manchester airport is the highest charging airport in the U.K thats why most flights and holidays are more expensive from there!!

paul hope (17/08/2009 at 15:05)

id personley fly emerates

Howard Stansfield (17/08/2009 at 15:05)

Allow me to quote from a recent invoice invoving a flight from Manchester to Toronto.
Manchester airport passenger duty = £25 per person
UK Departute Tax = £33 per person.

Canadian departure tax = £9 per person
Canadian security tax = 12 per person

So i pay Manchester £58 per person for the priviledge of using the airport, but at Toronto, a much bigger and more pleasant airport i pay £21 per person.

Who is ripping off who.

That bit of fluff, under the sofa (17/08/2009 at 15:19)

You can blame the rip charges at Manchester on the anti-business Council. They are also clearly happy to punish people cheeky enough to be able to afford to fly. My advice - fly from Liverpool, Leeds, Birmingham anywhere but Manchester. Another reason to avoid Manchester is the useless baggage staff.

Pongo61 (17/08/2009 at 15:20)

Manchester Airport Group has been so pre-occupied with buying other airports it has forgotten its home turf. BA have moved away, hardly any flights to the US, budget carriers moving our. Oh dear.

poc (17/08/2009 at 15:22)

I have to disagree with most posters on here, I frequently use Ryannair as I find them by far the best budget airline. This year alone I've flew to Pisa, Paris, Milan and Venice and TOTAL cost for all 4 flights was £22 return! You just need to ensure you follow the guidelines they set out to avoid the taxes, then make sure you use a Visa Electron card so you are not lumped with a card booking charge. My flight to Milan cost £4, cheaper than most return bus tickets!

I personally will miss the service at Manchester as it is possible to get stupidly cheap flights, however all that means is I'll now fly from Liverpool instead.

Guten Tag, Manchester (17/08/2009 at 15:43)

Hate Ryan Air with a passion. The whole experience from booking to flying is all geared to making the whole experience as difficult as possible. I pay extra and fly with other carriers that treat me like a customer.

mike356 (17/08/2009 at 15:49)

I have never had any problems with Ryan Air. If you follow their rules, book with visa electron you get very cheap flights.

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