Ryanair to Cut Fewer Jobs Than Expected

Ryanair plans to cut significantly fewer jobs than originally estimated after most of its pilots and cabin crew agreed to pay cuts, a senior executive has said.

The budget airline originally said it would have to slash 3,000 posts as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, which grounded flights for months. 

The aviation industry is also continuing to be hit by quarantine restrictions imposed as a result of the COVID-19 crisis.

Many airlines have announced plans to shed jobs due to the pandemic - including easyJet, which is looking to lose 4,500 staff, although this is also likely be trimmed due to agreements on part time contracts and unpaid leave.

British Airways also confirmed earlier this month it is making more than 10,000 workers redundant.

But Ryanair has now revised down its estimate of job losses after 97% of pilots and more than 90% of cabin crew signed up to pay cuts and work practice changes.

The airline's director of operations Neal McMahon said: "We haven't finalised the number yet, we originally said there was going to be 3,000 redundancies but we have been able to reduce that significantly.

"Broadly speaking they (pilots and cabin crew) recognise the grim situation we are in and they have been pragmatic."

He and fellow director Darrell Hughes said the number of redundancies would depend on winter bookings and how much the pandemic disrupts travel next year.

Ryanair increased flights to 60% of its normal schedule this month after resuming services in July.

Mr Hughes said: "Airlines have for a long time relied on business traffic, visiting friends and relatives and maybe an older non-family market for travel in September, October, November.

"It's a big question as to what that level of demand is going to be, but it's not looking good at present."/SkyNews