Ryanair cancels four routes

Ryanair has reportedly cancelled four routes within Europe because they are less than profitable. The carrier is to stop flying from Stansted to Rheims and Clermont Ferrand in France, Maastricht in the Netherlands, and Ostend in Belgium. But the airline is to open new routes out of Stansted, bringing the number of cities it flies to from the Essex hub to 71. The new routes, which will be opened in January, are Bari, southern Italy; Jerez, Spain; Erfut, Germany; and Linz, Austria. As reported,Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary has repeatedly threatened to close down any routes that were less than profitable, despite protests from Britons who claim to have bought second homes on the continent purely on the basis of Ryanair flying to a suitable airport. Indeed, the Daily Mail states that “hundreds” of customers who have bought holiday homes will be “devastated” at the announcement.