Ryanair has acknowledged leaving the UK Aviation Council.
The low-cost carrier has gone out against the Council, claiming that during the past six months it has "become a 'talking shop' which delivers no benefits, no reform, and no change for UK aviation or UK passengers."
The CEOs of UK airports, representatives from trade organizations like the Board of Airline Representatives, and executives from airlines like easyJet, British Airways, and Virgin Atlantic are among the members of the UK Aviation Council.
The Council has held three sessions since it was established by the Government in February as a group to aid in the recovery strategy for UK aviation. Third meeting was place yesterday.
Prior to the Council's inaugural meeting in February, Ryanair claims it requested five concrete steps be taken to enhance UK aviation from Baroness Vere, who co-chairs the Council with Stewart Wingate, CEO of Gatwick Airport.
The UK Government was urged to advocate for effective air space reform in Europe, and Ryanair reportedly wanted to examine boosting Border Control staffing and processing speeds in order to reduce ATC delays. Additionally, it demanded the restoration of temporary IDs at UK airports and a reduction in the cost of UK visas from £3,000 to £1,000 per person in order to increase S23 workforce for airport, handling, and PRM suppliers.
According to Ryanair, Baroness Vere recommended forming a working group with the DfT and CAA to advance "modernization" of the UK airspace during the meeting on July 11th. Reports from the working group wouldn't be due until April 2024.
The Department of Transportation, according to Ryanair, "failed to provide any funding to deliver this reform." Ryanair sadly comes to the conclusion that the UK Aviation Council is a pointless talking shop that has not produced any action or useful steps to enhance UK aviation.
Michael O'Leary, CEO of Ryanair, stated: "We joined the UK Aviation Council in February after receiving assurances from Transport Minister Mark Harper that it will be utilized as a "delivery body" to increase the resilience of UK aviation. Sadly, it turns out that this was just a hollow promise. The Council has turned into a talking shop for Baroness Vere, government officials, and the CAA to blather on about change while providing nothing, and there has been no action, no delivery, and no improvement in UK aviation.
Ryanair stated that it was heavily investing in new bases (Belfast) and new routes to and from the UK and anticipated a 13% increase in traffic in the UK to 56 million passengers in 2023.
"All of this growth is being achieved without any help or initiative from the UK Government or its pointless Aviation Council," O'Leary continued. Baroness Vere should dissolve this pointless Council and instead collaborate with the UK's main airlines to bring about genuine and lasting change that will allow us to increase capacity and reduce air rates for UK residents and visitors if she wants to bring about change or improve UK aviation.
Dale Keller, CEO of the Board of Airline Representatives in the UK (BARUK) and a participant in the UK Aviation Council, acknowledged that he shared the displeasure but insisted that change need time to take effect: "We acknowledge the frustration, but as a trade organization, it is critical that we continue to participate. It takes time because it's a long-term strategic organization.
Keller admitted that there is a procedure to follow. The Civil Aviation Authority's airspace change guidance (CAP1616) must be followed for any proposed modifications to the way that airspace is organized.
The CAA was also contacted for comment by BTN Europe.
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