© Reuters / Phil Noble
The UK government announced last week a second lockdown for England starting on November 5. France and Germany are also introducing second nationwide lockdowns. Many other European governments have increased restrictions over the past few days.
"The WHO (World Health Organization) themselves confirmed that lockdowns should be the last option, lockdowns are essentially a failure," Michael O'Leary, CEO of Ryanair told CNBC.
He added: "If we had more aggressive test and tracing provision, or as (UK Prime Minister) Boris Johnson promised world class testing and tracing, which clearly we don't have in the UK, we could and would have avoided a second lockdown."
Ryanair has been hit hard by stay-at-home orders in the wake of the Covid pandemic. The company reported on Monday a 78 percent plunge in revenue between April and September in comparison with its performance a year ago. The airline also experienced an 80 percent drop in the number of customers in those six months, and posted a loss for its key summer period for the first time in three decades.
"It is clear that air travel is in the frontline of this pandemic ... And we think the only way out of this is for governments, the British, the Irish and other European governments, to introduce pre-departure testing," O'Leary said.
According to Ryanair air travel in Europe is expected to remain subdued for the next few years. O'Leary said that there will be "a core amount of essential travel that will take place this winter, but fundamentally we are talking about a number that is less than a third of our normal."
Reader Comments
"Approximately 50% of the air circulated in commercial aircraft interiors is compressed "outside" air. The toxic air that airline passengers and crew members are exposed to is finally being acknowledged. Though there are likely a number of factors contributing to the toxic cabin fumes, is there any reasonable doubt about the contamination posed by the constant atmospheric spraying which is the major component of global geoengineering? All aircraft that fly through the sprayed heavy metal and chemical mixes associated with climate engineering are exposing their crews and passengers to a very serious health threat. Since many of the elements used in the geoengineering programs are bioaccumulative, the damage is now truly starting to show up in regard to human health impacts in those who frequently fly."-Dane Wigington
I hope all is well with her.
RC
It's bad enough that you can't even have a fag on a plane. Are you some kind of hobbit or something?
To the blessed memory of Saint Freddie Laker (peace be unto him).
My brother and I got Pilot Wings. My sisters got little stewardess pins. They were not happy. (They are both engineers.)
Life was simpler then.
RC
Thanks to the aforementioned Saint Freddie Laker, mainly.
Oh, you liked that link, Have another....[Link]
LOL.
Thanks. RC.
Another case of messed up thinking:
Since the disease is everywhere, travel should be free again.