Ryanair does not rule out closing routes and bases in Spain due to lower growth in 2019

Ryanair does not rule out closing routes and bases in Spain due to lower growth in 2019

The airline expects a business advance of 3.5%, three times less than last year and below the average of 8% for the whole of Europe

Good results, but not enough. The low-cost airline Ryanair, famous for its adjustment of accounts at all costs, does not rule out closing routes and bases in Spain because its growth forecast for this year is 'only' 3.5%, three times less than the of 2018 and below the average of 8% expected for the European market.

Therefore, its general director of marketing, Kenny Jacobs, explained on Thursday that the company plans to cut capacity or close some bases more "anywhere" in its network for commercial reasons, leaving the door open to be in the Canary Islands , although pointed out that the decision "is not yet taken" . It could be related to the expectation that there will be fewer Britons traveling to this destination as a result of the 'brexit'.

Despite this decision, the company does not do badly in Spain. It closed 2018 with 49.5 million passengers , almost 11% more than the previous year, but foresees a lower rate in 2019. This leads it to rethink its strategy and open routes in the territories from which it expects greater profitability, such as France, where it will reinforce its presence with new bases in Touluse, Marseille and Bordeaux; as well as take advantage of the new possibilities of tourism in Greece and Turkey.

This policy contrasts with the announcements made on Wednesday by the Irish company to open new routes connecting Spain with France . On the one hand, the connection of Malaga with Bordeaux and on the other the open route between Alicante with Touluse and Marseille, all with two weekly flights starting in October.

Rupture with Air Europa
Also, Jacobs confirmed the break "for commercial reasons" of the alliance between Ryanair and the Spanish airline Air Europa a couple of months ago, which for two years worked to feed their long-haul flights. He acknowledged that there was not enough demand and that the company had "other priorities" digitally than the integration of its reservation system with that of Air Europa.

Jacobs, who presented the company's winter calendar for Madrid, with 45 routes and two new connections to Athens and Kiev, explained that they plan to transport 6.85 million passengers in Madrid . In other countries such as Germany and the Netherlands it has already closed some bases (Bremen and Eindhoven) and has reduced its capacity in other German cities such as Frankfurt and Dusseldorf.