Ryanair to resume 40% of flights from July 1 if travel ban lifted
The Irish airline has announced that from July 1 it will resume flights at most of its 80 bases across Europe. Measures will be taken to ensure health safety.
Ryanair will resume 40% of scheduled flights from July 1, subject to the lifting of travel restrictions imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic and the implementation of public health measures at airports.
In a statement, the low-cost airline recalled that since the start of the flight restrictions in mid-March it has been operating a daily schedule of 30 flights between Ireland, the United Kingdom and Europe, and that from July it will resume flights at most of its 80 bases throughout Europe.
“Ryanair is working to re-establish some flights on as many routes as possible, rather than operating many flights on a small number of routes,” the company points out.
In preparation for the return, the company has released a video that aims to encourage passengers to adopt health measures to limit the spread of Covid-19 that include travel with less hold baggage, online check-in, presentation of your boarding pass on your mobile phone, temperature control at the airport entrance and the use of face masks in the terminal and on board aircraft.
In the note distributed today, Ryanair also recalls that all its aircraft are equipped with HEPA air filters (similar to those used in hospitals) and that all interior surfaces of aircraft are disinfected every night with chemicals effective for more than 24 hours.
In addition to temperature controls and the use of masks/facial covers, social distancing at airports and onboard aircraft will be encouraged wherever possible.
On board aircraft, cabin crew will wear masks/facial covers and a limited service of pre-packaged snacks and drinks will be provided, but cash payments on board will not be accepted.
Queues for on-board toilets will be prohibited and access will be upon request.
The company also encourages passengers to regularly wash and use hand sanitizers at airport terminals.
As a temporary public health measure and until EU states lift their blockades, Ryanair will require all passengers travelling in July and August to fill in the details (at check-in) of the length of their visit and accommodation address during their visit to another EU country.
“This contact information will be provided to EU governments to help monitor any isolation measures imposed on visitors from intra-EU flights,” the company explains.
Quoted in the statement, Ryanair CEO Eddie Wilson says: “It is important for our customers and our citizens that we resume part of the programming from 1 July.”
He says that after the four-month blockade applied by governments across Europe, “it is time to fly back to Europe” so that we can “find friends and family, allow people to go back to work and relaunch the European tourism industry, which occupies so many millions of workers”.
“Ryanair will work closely with the Health Authorities to ensure that these flights respect, where possible, effective measures to limit the spread of Covid-19. As has already been demonstrated in Asia, temperature controls and masks are the most effective measure for short distance journeys (1 hour) within the European market,” he adds.
