Stansted Airport Chamber of Commerce

A BAA Stansted spokesperson said:

Let’s be clear; the aviation industry like many others is coping with the challenges of a global economic downturn. Everyone is feeling the pinch.

The dynamic nature of the budget airline industry means that routes and flight schedules change all the time – and at times like this, more so.

Many airlines, including Ryanair, always reduce services in the winter season. This year will be no exception – even BA is cutting back.

Today we have had some detail from Ryanair. Numbers and statistics have been banded around – many of which we simply don’t recognise. It is up to Ryanair, as with BAA, to make the right decisions for their companies at times like this, and the massive hike in oil price is obviously a major influence in decision-making.

Cost cutting and improved efficiency is key; and Ryanair is already laying-off staff at Stansted as they introduce self-service check-in.

Surely, this is a time for our industry to pull together, not spat with each other by press release.

We have met with Ryanair to discuss how best to help each other in the months ahead, and we look forward to continuing to do so in coming weeks.

We have absolutely no intention of conducting commercial negotiations in public. We are however very pleased that Ryanair will be launching 8 new routes from Stansted this winter.

So surely, today’s news is much more about a dynamic industry coping with severe economic pressure, and Ryanair re-shaping it’s business across its entire network, than about an argument with an airport company that has the best interests of the travelling public at heart.