Low-cost carrier Ryanair, which has grounded more than 90 per cent
of its fleet over the coming weeks, has offered to make its aircraft available
for emergency medical flights, including to and from China, to help with the
Covid-19 crisis.
With most of the EU imposing strict travel bans and closing their
borders to foreign travellers, the Irish carrier has been forced to cancel the
vast majority of its passenger services.
From 27 March to 2 April, Ryanair will only operate daily or weekly
services between Dublin and Stansted, Gatwick, Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh,
Glasgow, Manchester, Amsterdam, Brussels, Berlin, Lisbon and Cologne, as well
as between Cork and Stansted. It will also continue flying from Stansted to
Eindhoven, Lisbon, Cork, Berlin and Budapest.
In the meantime, the carrier is working with EU governments to
repatriate citizens where possible and will continue to work with authorities
to maintain some routes for emergency reasons. It has also offered to help move critical medical and food supplies across borders.
Ryanair assured passengers who choose to fly over the next week
that each aircraft will be disinfected daily and will operate with low load
factors and no trolley services to ensure safe social distancing is maintained.
CEO Michael O’Leary said: “As we all work to respond to the Covid-19
pandemic, let’s take care of ourselves, each other, our families and our
communities.”