Ryanair PLC (LON:RYA) is to fly 80% of its schedule over the summer holiday period due to the success of the UK vaccination programme, chief executive Michael O’Leary said today.
The Ireland-based airline said it had seen a surge in bookings from Germany and the UK for the summer and especially during July, August and September.
“I think it is very difficult to persuade the UK population to sit at home, or holiday at home when everybody's been vaccinated," he said in an interview.
O’Leary also said that people who don’t want to fly on a 737-Max will be able to wait until a flight that isn’t one of the Boeing planes.
Ryanair is one of the biggest advocates of the troubled aircraft, which has just been allowed to fly again after being grounded for almost 24 months after two fatal crashes.
The airline boss said he expects to receive 16 737-Maxes by the summer, compared to an original forecast of 24 given in February, with eight to arrive in each of April and in May but none now in June.
O’Leary’s optimism over summer flights is in contrast with the UK government, which has been attempting to rein back travel hopes on fears that the third wave of coronavirus infections spreading across Europe might be brought back to the UK.
A clampdown on attempting to travel on holiday ahead of the roadmap to recovery timetable was announced yesterday by the UK authorities with fines of £5,000 for anyone caught leaving the country without a reasonable excuse.
British Airways cancelled hundreds of flights scheduled for this summer following the fine announcement and fears that many more countries will be placed on the travel red-list due to the third wave of infections.
Boris Johnson’s recovery road map envisages air travel resuming on May 17 and despite the caution from the UK authorities, Michael O’Leary said he was still optimistic.
He said he rated at above 50% that holidays would happen, especially in places such as Greece, Spain and Portugal that have said they would welcome people who can prove they had been vaccinated.
An announcement on travel is expected by the UK’s global travel taskforce on 5 April.
Shares in Ryanair rose 3.8% to €16.16 while British Airways owner IAG added 2.6% to 192.2p.