If they want to strike, then strike.
According to CEO Michael Kevin O'Leary, tickets for Ryanair flights will become 7 to 9 percent more expensive this summer than they were before the corona pandemic. Despite this, the budget airline's planes will be well-stocked, CEO O'Leary said in an interview with Reuters news agency.
A turbulent summer is coming, with long waiting times, more expensive tickets and possible strikes. For June, the CEO said that aircraft utilization is around 94%, which is close to pre-pandemic levels. “And July, August and September are looking very strong with higher occupancy rates and higher rates as well,” he said. “Rates are likely to increase by 2019 to 7 percent compared to the summer of 9.”
strikes
For those who want to travel with Ryanair this summer, it is a must. Ryanair staff threaten strikes in several countries. In Spain, the threat is most concrete: the trade unions USO and SITCPLA announced six days of strike: on 24, 25, 26 and 30 June and 1 and 2 July. So at the beginning of the summer holidays. No strike dates have yet been announced in Belgium. Negotiations for cabin crew are also ongoing, O'Leary said. Ryanair's cabin crew based in Belgium had already been on strike for three days at the end of April.
“If they want to strike, then strike. But we will not make concessions under threat of a strike.”
The Irish low-cost airline does not expect to have to cancel flights due to staffing problems, like some other airlines. With the holidays approaching, it remains to be seen how the European airports will process all this. Canceled flights and impending strikes hang like thunder clouds over the busiest flying season of the year.
