Ryanair cuts Kerry-Stansted winter flights
IN A move with potentially serious ramifications for Kerry Airport, and local tourism in general, Ryanair has announced it is slashing its winter flights between Kerry and Stansted from 14 per week to four.
In Kerry Airport's 2008 annual report Chairman Denis Cregan described the Kerry-Stansted route as thus: "This route showed a small decline in 2008. We will continue to develop it as we see it as strategically very important in providing connectivity on a panEuropean basis with Stansted."
The airline is blaming the impact of the Government's €10 travel tax for the decision. A spokesman said the effect of the tax on the airline's business is exacerbated by the high cost of operating out of Stansted. Though flights on the Stansted route are being scaled back Ryanair said it will be increasing its Kerry to Luton service from four flights to seven a week. The total number of flights between Kerry and London this winter will drop from 14 to 11.
While the total drop in flights between Kerry and London is just three the options for travellers who wish to travel further afield will be reduced as Luton Airport offers considerably less routes than Stansted.
Luton, which is further from London than Stansted, mainly offers short-haul routes to European destination with budget carriers while Stansted, the UK's third busiest airport covers numerous long-haul routes to Asia, Africa and the Middle East.
From October 25 there will be one flight a day between Kerry and Luton and one flight between Kerry and Stansted on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. Passengers planning on travelling early to London are restricted to Fridays and Sundays: the only days with flights to London before 10am.
- SIMON BROUDER
