Ryanair said it has frozen its expansion plans for its nine UK bases in protest at airport charges and a £10 tourist tax.
The airline claimed these charges had led to a fall of over 4.5 million passengers during the first five months of the year, a period which has also seen the UK and the rest of the developed world struggle with recession.
In a statement the airline claimed it would increase its passenger numbers by 15 per cent to over 67 million this year but said the UK “would not share in this growth”. Ryanair is also opposing a similar €10 tourist charge imposed by the Irish Government at the end of March.
At a press conference in London today Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary said the airline has yet to hedge its fuel costs for its fourth quarter ending in March as it’s hoping crude oil prices will fall below $60 a barrel.
Additional reporting Bloomberg