Holiday rentals news - Ryanair cuts Stansted winter capacity by 40 per cent

Ryanair cuts Stansted winter capacity by 40 per cent

Ryanair is to cut its capacity at Stansted by 40 per cent this winter. The carrier blames the UK's air passenger duty (APD) and increased airport charges for its decision.

There will be a 30 per cent reduction in the number of Ryanair weekly flights from Stansted between October this year and March 2010. The number of Ryanair planes operating from Stansted will be reduced from 40 to 24.

Ryanair cites three reasons for its decision to cut its capacity at Stansted: along with Dublin, Stansted is one of the carrier's most expensive bases; the rise in Britain's "insane and damaging" APD, which will rise from £10 to £11 this November despite falling passenger numbers; and airport operator BAA's monopoly and its decision to increase airport charges.

The carrier will move 16 of its Stansted aircraft to other European bases where tourist taxes, like APD, are being abolished or scrapped. Ryanair is calling on Gordon Brown to scrap APD and to push for more competitive airport fees at the airports run by BAA.

Announcing the winter cutback at Stansted, Ryanair's chief executive, Michael O'Leary, said: "Sadly, UK traffic and tourism continues to collapse, while Ryanair continues to grow traffic rapidly in those countries which welcome tourists instead of taxing them." He added that Spain, Greece, the Netherlands and Belgium have all abolished or reduced either tourist taxes or airport fees in recent months "in order to stimulate tourism".

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