Ryanair News

News Release

20.06.12

Ryanair Calls For Urgent Sale Of Stansted As May Traffic Declines 5.5%

BAA QUICK TO SELL DUCHESS’S JEWELLERY BUT STALLS ON SELLING OFF STANSTED “CROWN JEWEL” 

Ryanair, Europe’s only ultra-low cost airline, today (20 June) again called for the immediate sale of London Stansted Airport, as recommended by the Competition Commission, after the BAA monopoly confirmed that traffic at Stansted continues to decline, with May’s figures down 5.5% on May 2011 resulting in a loss of 500,000 passengers in the first 5 months of 2012. While Stansted traffic declines, Heathrow and Gatwick’s traffic has grown which proves that the BAA monopoly is damaging Stansted and harming consumers.

The Competition Commission recommended the sale of Stansted in 2008, noting the BAA’s monopoly of London’s big 3 airports ‘adversely affected competition’, which the BAA has since made seven appeals against, proving yet again its disregard for passengers, competition or tourism as it attempts to retain its stranglehold over London traffic. Yet it took the BAA just three months to flog priceless jewellery belonging to the Duchess of Argyll which had been found at the BAA-owned Glasgow Airport*.

STANSTED PAX COLLAPSE
 
2011
2012
Decline
Jan
1.1m
1.0m
-7%
Feb
1.2m
1.1m
-5%
Mar
1.4m
1.3m
-5%
Apr
1.6m
1.5m
-5%
May
1.6m
1.5m
-5%
Avg
1.4m
1.3m
-5%
 

Ryanair’s Robin Kiely said:

“The BAA’s traffic figures show continued declines at Stansted due to its high costs and airport mismanagement. These declining passenger numbers provide further evidence of the urgent need to expedite the BAA’s sale of Stansted airport, as first recommended by the UK Competition Commission back in 2008, over 4 years ago. The BAA have made seven appeals against the recommended sale of their “crown jewels” at Stansted, yet it took them just three months to sell-off priceless jewellery lost by a passenger at the BAA-owned Glasgow Airport. The sale of Stansted into separate ownership will lead to more competition, lower passenger charges, improved passenger services and the roll out of additional and much needed traffic growth at competitive prices in Stansted.”

 


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