Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary delivered a pointed message on Monday, warning that the airline’s tolerance for persistent safety-related delays at Ben Gurion Airport is wearing thin. According to Reuters, O’Leary suggested that Ryanair could potentially shift its aircraft to alternative routes across Europe if the issues in Israel continue.
In a call with analysts reviewing the airline’s annual earnings, O’Leary did not hold back his displeasure over the operational challenges in Tel Aviv.
“I think we’re running out of patience too with Israel … flights to and from Tel Aviv,” he said.
He went on to caution that if the instability persists, Ryanair might have no choice but to move its planes elsewhere.
“If they’re going to keep being disrupted by these security disruptions, frankly, we’d be better off sending those aircraft somewhere else in Europe.”
Ryanair is among a number of global carriers that halted service to Israel in response to the conflict in Gaza and the threat of missile strikes targeting Ben Gurion Airport.
Service was reinstated by Ryanair on February 1, 2024, following a reduction in rocket fire due to the dwindling arsenal of Hamas and the extensive dismantling of its military infrastructure. But within weeks, the airline suspended operations again amid renewed safety concerns.
In January, the budget airline had begun offering tickets on multiple routes in and out of Tel Aviv, indicating its expectation to restart service by the end of March.
However, after a rocket launched by the Houthi rebels in Yemen landed close to Ben Gurion Airport’s runways last week, Ryanair once more called off flights to and from Israel—this time extending the suspension until at least June 5.
{Matzav.com}