Ryanair slashes flights at Dublin and Shannon
Ryanair is cutting back winter capacity at Dublin and Shannon, blaming the Government’s €10 tourist tax, or Air Passenger Duty.
It is removing one aircraft at each airport, falling from 17 to 16 aircraft at Dublin and from four to three at Shannon.
This will mean the loss of 44 flights per week and 350 jobs at Dublin and a further 36 flights per week and 300 jobs at Shannon.
In the first five months of 2009 traffic at Dublin has fallen by 11%, Ryanair claimed.
It warned that further cuts in winter flight and traffic numbers will be announced in the coming months if the Government fails to scrap the tax.
But it said these winter cutbacks can be reversed if the tax is scrapped.
“The Irish Government’s €10 tou rist tax is “tourism suicide†which is devastating visitor numbers and jobs.†Said Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary.
“Price sensitive visitors are switching to lower cost destinations in Europe where governments welcome tourists, not tax them.â€
By Bev Fearis
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Phocuswright reveals the world's largest travel markets in volume in 2025
Higher departure tax and visa cost, e-arrival card: Japan unleashes the fiscal weapon against tourists
Cyclone in Sri Lanka had limited effect on tourism in contrary to media reports
Singapore to forbid entry to undesirable travelers with new no-boarding directive
Euromonitor International unveils world’s top 100 city destinations for 2025