Ryanair has confirmed that it will cut its services from Dublin Airport this summer, reducing the number of planes based at the airport from 18 last summer to 15.
The airline again blamed what it called 'high and rising' airport charges and the Government's €10 travel tax for its decision.
Ryanair says its action will result in the loss of 150 Dublin-based jobs at the airline and has warned that it will announce more cuts for its winter schedule at a later date. The company claims that 2,000 jobs will be lost at the airport and in the wider economy as a result.
Its cuts will take effect from the end of March. The airline says they will result in a 20% fall in its traffic numbers at Dublin to around 6.5 million in the year to March 2011.
But Ryanair will increase the number of flights on a number of routes to popular holiday destinations in the peak summer months of June, July and August. The routes with extra flights include Alicante, the Canary Islands, Faro and Malaga.
Ryanair shares closed 1.4% higher at €3.40 in Dublin this evening.
