RYANAIR has resigned from its position on the UK Aviation Council claiming it ‘delivers no benefits, no reform and no change for aviation or passengers’.
The Irish airline was one of a number of members of the new group, which was formed this year and held its first meeting in February.
The Council is chaired by Baroness Vere of Norbiton, a peer who serves as a parliamentary under-secretary of state at the government’s Department of Transport, and co-chaired by Stewart Wingate, the CEO of Gatwick Airport.
Members include various airlines and airports in operation across Britain, with one of the purposes of the council to “enable government and industry to voice their opinions and provide advice and recommendations on how to address challenges facing the sector, as well as how best to embrace opportunities”.
However, within months of signing up as a member, Ryanair has now confirmed it will no longer be a part of the Council.
Ryanair’s CEO Michael O’Leary explained: “We joined the UK Aviation Council in February when Transport Minister Mark Harper assured us it would be used as a “delivery body” to improve the resilience of UK aviation.
“Sadly, this has proved to be an empty promise.
“There has been no action, no delivery, and no improvement in UK aviation, and the Council has become a talking shop for Baroness Vere, Govt bureaucrats and the CAA to waffle on about reform while delivering none.”
Ryanair Group CEO Michael O'LearyHe added: “Ryanair is investing heavily in new bases (Belfast) and new routes to/from the UK.
“We expect to grow our traffic in the UK in 2023 by 13 per cent to 56m passengers and all of this growth is being delivered without any support or initiative from the UK Govt or its useless Aviation Council.
“We don’t have time to waste meeting with an ineffective industry Council, which hasn’t delivered any practical change or reform since its first meeting last February.
"If Baroness Vere wants to deliver change or improve UK aviation, then she should disband this useless Council and work instead with the UK’s major airlines to deliver real and effective change, which will enable us to improve capacity and lower air fares for UK citizens and visitors.
"Instead, Baroness Vere prefers to waste her time, and ours, holding a quarterly talking shop, at which she promises action, but delivers none.
"Ryanair has better things to do with our time than waste it on her useless and ineffective Aviation Council, and so we have written today to Baroness Vere to resign from this Council with immediate effect.”
