6 AIRLINER WORLD APRIL 2018
News Review • Europe
IRISH LOW-COST carrier Ryanair has
blamed the Scottish Government’s
failure to reduce aviation taxes for its
surprise decision to close its base at
Glasgow. Unveiling its winter 2018
schedule, the airline has reduced its
network from the Scottish hub from 23
routes to just three – Dublin, Wrocław
and Kraków – with the potential loss of
up to 300 jobs.
Commenting on the move, Ryanair’s
Chief Commercial Officer David
O'Brien said: "We think Brexit is
particularly threatening to Scotland
and its economy, and particularly to
the aviation industry.
"Sadly, our Glasgow base will
close, about half a million of those
passengers will transfer through
Edinburgh. The weaker Scottish
economy is even weaker in Glasgow
and we simply can't bear the airpassenger duty
[APD] of £13 [which
is] more than a
third of Ryanair's
average fare.”
He added: “This should
not come as a surprise to
the government, we did say
that our growth in Glasgow
was based on their promise
to abolish APD, which
morphed into a promise to
half APD, which suddenly
has disappeared into the
ether and, quite frankly, we don't have
any more patience. There are other
markets in the UK and Europe which
offer a more compelling proposition.”
The carrier will, however, increase its
presence at Edinburgh where it is
basing an additional aircraft and
adding 11 new services.Highs and Lows for Norwegian
NORWEGIAN CEO Bjørn Kjos said he
was “not at all satisfied” after the low-
cost carrier posted net losses of more
than £27m. Releasing its fourth quarter
and year-end results, the airline said its
performance had been driven by “sig-
nificant costs related to increased fuel
prices, wet lease and passenger care
[which] affect the results.” It added:
“Going into 2018, Norwegian is far bet-
ter positioned with stronger bookings
and a better staffing situation. Major
investments have also been done in
2017 to prepare for future growth.”
The carrier did, however, report strong
growth in revenues – up 19% to £2.8bn
- while passenger traffic grew to
more than 33m, a year-on-year increase
of 13%.
Kjos remarked: “The year was charac-
terised by global expansion driven by
new routes, high load factors and
continued fleet renewal.
“Our major global expansion reaches its
peak in the second half of 2018, when
32 of our 42 [Boeing 787s] on order will
have been put into service.”
Elsewhere, the carrier took delivery of
its 100th and final direct-buy Boeing
737-800, LN-NIJ (c/n 42094),
on February 21.
“Today’s delivery marks the end of
an era for Norwegian. When we first
introduced the Boeing 737-800 aircraft
to our fleet 11 years ago, we did so
because it was a modern aircraft with a
record of reliability, fuel efficiency and
low operating costs,” Kjos said. “Now,
at the dawn of a new era, our fleet
expansion will continue with more
environmentally friendly aircraft as we
prepare to take delivery of more than
100 737 MAX aircraft over the next
few years.”
This came just a week after Norwegian
opened direct services from London/
Gatwick to Buenos Aires, it’s first South
American route.Thanks on a ’plane
VIRGIN ATLANTIC has introduced a
special livery dedicated to its 9,
employees. The new markings are
carried on Airbus A340-642 G-VNAP
(c/n 622), which has returned to ser-
vice after more than two-and-a-half
years in storage, to enable the airline
to meet capacity demands while some
of its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner fleet is
grounded due to ongoing issues with
their Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines.
The jet, renamed Sleeping Beauty
Rejuvenated, features additional titles
on the fuselage recognising the work
of the airline’s global workforce. It is
also one of only two aircraft – the first
being Dreamliner G-VNEW Birthday
Girl – to feature an upright version of
the airline’s famous ‘Flying Lady’ logoThe carrier’s CEO Craig Kreeger said:
“The people of Virgin Atlantic and
Virgin Holidays have made our busi-
ness and our brand what it is today.
They’re both our magic ingredient and
our greatest strength. We wanted to
take the opportunity to do something
special with this aircraft to recognise
all the hard work that goes on, day in
and day out, across Virgin Atlantic
and Virgin Holidays, so the ‘big Virgin
Atlantic thank you’ message is for
every one of our 9,000 people. Paired
with the special edition of our iconic
Flying Lady, we hope we’ve created
something our people can feel proud
of, which is also eye-catching and
fun for our customers.”
(Photo Virgin Atlantic)Hot Stuff
Air Atlanta Icelandic’s Boeing 747-481(BCF), TF-AMP (c/n 24801), was a
welcome visitor to Doncaster Sheffield Airport on February 18. The freighter,
which is operating in the colours of British firm Magma Aviation, arrived on a
charter flight from Nairobi. ANDY MASONRyanair Axes
Glasgow Base