Ryanair to ground Stansted planes in winter freeze

Ryanair's aggressive expansion plans became the latest victim of the airline industry downturn yesterday as Europe's biggest low-cost carrier said it would ground 12 planes at Stansted airport this winter and close seven European bases.

It is cutting services on its busiest routes at Stansted and will withdraw planes from seven other airports, including Budapest and Valencia, for six weeks from November 4. Ryanair is effectively reducing its fleet by 10% this winter, including a decision to park a further four planes at Dublin airport.

Michael O'Leary, Ryanair chief executive, denied the airline was struggling to fill a fleet that is expanding by more than 30 planes a year. The outspoken airline boss said high landing fees at Stansted, imposed by "twats" at airport operator BAA, were the main reason for grounding the aircraft at its biggest base during winter when fares have to be kept low in order to fill planes. He also allocated some blame to record oil prices of over $140 a barrel.

"Does oil have a part to play? Of course it does. But these cutbacks are happening at the most expensive airports."

Asked if the cuts were a sign that Ryanair's fleet, due to total 166 aircraft by March next year, is struggling for passengers during the downturn, he said: "Since the British invaded India, nobody has stopped travelling during a downturn. People are incredibly reluctant to give up their annual holiday."

Ryanair is also withdrawing planes from Basel, Palma, Salzburg and Kraków and Rzeszów in Poland between November and December, as a protest against the landing fees at those airports.

The airline will make a 14% reduction in flights at Stansted this winter, from more than 1,850 a week to just under 1,600. As a result, it will carry about 900,000 fewer passengers through Stansted than last winter. The number of planes based at Stansted will fall from 40 to 28. O'Leary confirmed Ryanair would not be abandoning routes by grounding the eight planes, but would cut the frequency or number of flights on certain routes. BAA said Ryanair was in the same position as British Airways and other carriers which have announced capacity cuts in recent weeks.

"Surely, this is a time for our industry to pull together, not spat with each other by press release," BAA said, in a departure from its usual diplomatic stance on airline relations.