Ireland: Ryanair says it will close carrier down if strike threat materialises
Ryanair’s takeover of its low-cost rival Buzz has already caused chaos for passengers and travel industry workers – just days after the deal was announced. As reported by News From Abroad, the KLM subsidiary was snapped up for just £15 million last week, with the acquisition due to be completed by 1 April. Already, some 55,000 passengers are seeking refunds after Ryanair cancelled the launch of a seven-route network operating out of Bournemouth, while it has already revealed plans to ditch 10 routes from Stansted to the continent. Customers will be offered a refund or an alternative Ryanair flight by way of compensation. Meanwhile, the cancellation of Buzz services is likely to mean job losses, but plans for a strike have met with short shrift from Ryanair, which has stated that it would rather close Buzz down rather than face industrial action. Several newspapers are reporting a likely 18 per cent cut in Buzz’s workforce. Ryanair, which famously does not recognise any unions, said: “If Balpa goes on strike it will not be a question of sacking pilots; we will close Buzz down.”
