Ryanair ditches idea of US flights
March 20, 2015Irish low-cost carrier Ryanair said in a statement released late on Thursday that its board had "not considered or approved any transatlantic project," and didn't intend to do so.
The surprise announcement came after the no-frills airline unveiled big plans on Monday for offering low-cost flights on transatlantic routes in the next five years. Flight fares would start from as little as 10 pounds ($14, 13.9 euros), the Dublin-based carrier said in a statement, with the company board approving the plans.
However, Ryanair's U-turn on US flights doesn't rule out the possibility of the airline establishing a separate company at some time in the future to provide transatlantic services.
News agency Reuters on Thursday quoted a source familiar with the matter as saying that the company was still considering the launch of a sister company to offer flights across the Atlantic.
Ryanair Chief Executive Michael O'Leary has long eyed operating long-haul services in addition to its low-cost short-haul business in Europe. But he's repeatedly stressed that they would have to be run separately in order to be profitable.
uhe/ng (Reuters, AFP, dpa)