Ryanair to launch six new routes from Belgian airports (from Summer 2019) – Michael O’Leary reaches out to Belgian unions

On a press conference at Brussels Airport, Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary announced its Summer 2019 schedule for Brussels Airport and Brussels South Charleroi Airport. From 31 March 2019, the low-cost airline will launch six new routes from both Belgian airports.

From Brussels Airport, Ryanair announced the launch of four new routes: two weekly flights to Amman (Jordan), three weekly flights to Barcelona (Girona), two weekly flights to Marrakesh and three weekly flights to Pisa. Additionally the airline will add more flights to Alicante and Porto.

From Brussels South Charleroi Airport, the airline announced two new routes: Banja Luka (twice per week) and four flights per week to Palermo. More flights to Alicante, Malaga, Naples and Lisbon have been added to Ryanair’s Charleroi network.

“We are pleased to launch our Brussels Summer 2019 schedule, which includes six new routes from our two Brussels’ airports to Amman, Barcelona, Banja Luka, Marrakesh, Palermo and Pisa and 100 routes in total, which will deliver 8.6m customers through our two Brussels airports this year.

To celebrate the launch of our Brussels Summer 2019 schedule we are releasing seats for sale from just €14.99 for travel until December which are available for booking until midnight Thursday (11 October). Since these amazing low prices will be snapped up quickly, customers should log onto www.ryanair.com and avoid missing out.”

“We want to reach an agreement with the Belgian unions as soon as possible“

Next to the announcement of new routes, Michael O’Leary urged the Belgian unions to get moving in order to get an agreement done. “We want to grow in Belgium, we invite the unions to sit together and discuss on a collective labour agreement,” the CEO said. Only a few weeks ago, O’Leary wanted to change to the Belgian law on 1 March 2020 only, giving the time to make a smooth transition between Irish legislation and Belgian legislation. But today O’Leary said that he wants the local Belgian law to apply “from 1 January 2019, even earlier if possible.”

Furthermore Ryanair strongly denounced the claim that they unilaterally modified its general conditions of sale: “Claims of changing our terms and conditions in Belgium are completely untrue: Belgian passengers who wish to file a complaint can still go to a Belgian Court. The so-called “Claim chasers” have to go to Dublin. We comply to Belgian law and we respect the famous EU-Rule 261/2004.”

“Not a fun winter for the aviation industry“

O’Leary also predicted that a number of airlines will have a hard time this winter: “Our own forward bookings are strong, but the ticket prices are weak. This winter the aviation industry is offering a 9% capacity growth and we strongly believe this is an overcapacity to the market. Furthermore oil prizes are rising, hence I expect some airlines to go bust.”