Ryanair urges Brexit aviation deal

Ryanair warned that with Britain set to leave Europe’s Open Skies system, the country will need to negotiate a bilateral agreement with the EU to allow flights to and from Europe to continue.

Kenny Jacobs, chief marketing officer of Ryanair, said: “Some nine months on from the Brexit referendum, we are no closer to knowing what effect it will have on aviation.

“It’s become worrying that the UK Government seems to have no plan B to maintain Britain’s liberalised air links with Europe, in the absence of remaining in the Open Skies regime.”

He added: “With Britain planning to leave the EU and its Open Skies agreement, there is a distinct possibility that there may be no flights between the UK and Europe for a period of time after March 2019. The best we can hope for is a new bilateral agreement between the UK and EU, however, we worry that Britain may not be able to negotiate such a bilateral in time for the release by airlines of summer 2019 schedules in mid-2018.

“Ryanair, like all airlines, plans its flights 12 months in advance, so there are just 12 months to go until we finalise our summer 2019 schedule, which could see deep cuts to our flights both to, from and within the UK from March 2019 onwards.”