Ryanair, which has already announced the scrapping of more than 1,000 flights in the next few months due to the late delivery of four new aircraft, has warned bargain-hunting travellers that cancellations are most likely “during less busy midweek days such as Tuesday and Wednesday”.
Last Wednesday, a London investment bank issued an alert to investors regarding the number of Ryanair flight cancellations; the airline responded that all its Wednesday early-morning London flights had departed “as normal and on time”.
This was disputed by staff at Luton airport, who posted reports on aviation-industry internet chat rooms that Ryanair aircraft were stuck on the Luton tarmac. Screens at Stansted also showed more than 50 flights cancelled throughout the day, and planes were reported sitting idle at Liverpool, Bergamo, Rome and Brussels airports.
“A critical staff shortage and too few passengers are the real reasons,” said a Ryanair insider. “Cancellation is the only sensible option.”
Ryanair has said that anyone whose flight has been cancelled has had several weeks’ notice and been offered alternative flights.