Reduction of flights on days with less traffic, i.e. Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday, via i mid-day connectionsa, scissors to replaceable domestic flights with high-speed rail. All this in the height of summer, a period when passenger numbers usually skyrocket.
These would be the cornerstones of the emergency plan – which he refuses to call that, however – outlined by Ryanair's CEO, Michael O'Leary al Corriere della Sera. And the low-cost airline isn't even the only one trying to take action. What's happening in Iran, and in particular in Strait of Hormuz, is bringing the international aviation sector to its knees, penalized by the surge in fuel prices, which have risen from $800 a ton at the end of February to over $1.500 a ton in recent days. “At the moment there is nothing concrete, but with the Strait of Hormuz still closed the supply problem becomes, week after week, more serious for our sector", explained the manager to Courier on the sidelines of a press conference in Dublin.
“We are doing some in-depth analysis, we know where we could intervene immediately if necessary”, O'Leary told the newspaper, while other managers in the sector, who asked to remain anonymous, confirmed that they have already defined the “parameters” and that they have a first plan ready. list of routes that can be sacrificed "immediately".
Ryanair to reduce mid-day flights
The first cut is related to the timetables: “First of all we would remove mid-day flights"O'Leary revealed, because "they are the ones that would have the least impact on traffic," two other managers confirmed. The goal is to preserve morning and late afternoon/early evening connectivity, especially with a focus on business customers," they added.
Flight cuts on days with less traffic
Reductions could come in the days with less trafficThat is, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Saturday, while Monday, Friday, and Sunday are considered “Untouchable.” Thursday is also expendable, "also in light of the spread of smart working, as during the pandemic," explains the courier.
Plane vs. train
And then there are the internal flights, those called "domestic". And here the airlines' emergency plans also include a significant cut “where there is an alternative, like trains, preferably high-speed,” explains O'Leary. A decision that, however, could put pressure on the railway system and stations.
What's happening now
Some (or all) of these measures may come into effect starting in June. Meanwhile, the companies are "in the phase of cutting less profitable routes”, the operations director of a traditional airline confirmed to the newspaper on Via Solferino, indicating the first victims as seasonal connections with low occupancy rates, secondary routes and those with very high competition.
Flights to be saved
If the scenario were to worsen further due to the prolongation of the conflict in Iran and the consequent closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the CEOs guarantee the “protection” of the main hubs at all costs that support the business model. They would then be "flights to the islands are protected”, perhaps reducing frequencies, but always guaranteeing daily connectivity.
