Holiday home owners heap pressure on Ryanair-cancelled Canary flights

#1 Dave Collins commented, on July 20, 2009 at 9:43 a.m.:

I think it is an absolute disgrace the way Irish people have been treated by Ryanair. Aer Lingus used to service this route until Ryanair arrived, but they were forced out of the market by Ryanair who have now pulled out of the route. Thank God Ryanair were not allowed to buy out Aer Lingus, you can only imagine what they would do in a monopoly situation. Why won't Ryanair comment about this situation? They also refused to put on a representative on the Q102 radio programme last Monday. Why?

#3 Peg Kilmurray commented, on July 20, 2009 at 12:34 p.m.:

Thank you for doing an article on ryanairs withdrawal from Fuerteventura.It most unfair on ryanairs part to block the system,ie they refuse to say what they are doing in the future,so aer lingus and other airlines are keeping a low profile, and like us all want answers.I own a property out there,and find it extremely difficult to get a flight to that beautiful island.I hope ryanair are made answerable before long.AERLINGUS PLEASE TAKE OVER THE ROUTE COMPLETELY.

#5 Fiona Domican commented, on July 20, 2009 at 1:07 p.m.:

The official Tourist figures for June show a decrease of 73% in the level of Irish Tourists to Fuerteventura. There are thousands of Irish property owners who are unable to fly direct to the Island now. The Ryanair flights were nearly always full throughout the year to Fuerteventura as they had no competition on the route.

Ryanair....Please come back to Fuerteventura.

#7 Marie Delany commented, on July 20, 2009 at 11:44 p.m.:

Thank you for highlighting our problem of getting to the beautiful Island of Fuerteventura. As a house owner there we and our extended family and friends spent many happy weeks there last year but this year we have had great difficulty in getting there. The airlines and local tourist board seem to be having a stand off and we are the ones suffering. They all take our money both flights and the money spent in restaurants and shops but when they pull the plug neither seem to care about the people who supported and gave them business. In these tough times it is crazy.

#9 JD Evora commented, on July 21, 2009 at 10:55 a.m.:

I'm one of the minority that takes the flight the other way.
I used to live in Dublin a few years ago and the only way to came to Fuerteventura was buying a package or going via Madrid or Barcelona (around an 8 hours trip and 3 times the price)

Now I'm back home, but I have to go to Dublin 3-4 times a year, IE and later FR was the wonderful option (charters don't sell FUE-DUB-FUE flights) and now we are back to the dark times :-( I hope that Air Lingus makes their mind up...
Cheers
JD Evora

#11 Sean Farrell commented, on July 21, 2009 at 4:09 p.m.:

Ryanair pulling out of Fuerteventura is a childish reaction. The are owed money form a group of business people in Fuerteventura but it is the Irish property owners who the are hurting so.
1. Ryanair should start flights so people who own properties can enjoy and rent them.
2. Sue these business people for everything that the owe Ryanair.
At least the innocent wont have to suffer for the crimes of the guilty.

#13 Mandie Phelan commented, on July 22, 2009 at 10:35 a.m.:

We run a motorcycle touring business on the island, I have an email, that says it all from what was 5 potential customers who wanted a 2 week riding package, they wanted also to rent a property and would have frequented the bars and restaurants.
They decided in the end to go to Tenerife for 3 weeks instead due to the flight prices....here is an excerpt

Hi Mandy.
The flights to Fuerte were crazy prices, someone suggested Tenerife and the first time we looked we found really good bargains and at good flight times. In fact all the Islands were cheaper than Fuerte, its so bad for Fuerte. Love the Island but refuse to pay the prices, will look again when the other airlines start going there. Its like someone doesnt like Fuerte!! Like its been pushed to the back and no one should go there.
Regards Daz and gang.

This is further evidence that the flight prices are ruining businesses and making it impossible for property owners to achieve their rental incomes.

#15 Joe Zefran commented, on July 22, 2009 at 6:12 p.m.:

Hark, what's that sound in the distance? The world's smallest violins playing for all these poor holiday home owners.

Get real ya chancers. People are hurting right now. Quit giving out to Ryanair. Sell your home instead and donate the proceeds to a real family in need.

#17 Seán Galavan commented, on July 23, 2009 at 10:30 a.m.:

Delighted to hear of so many people joining hands to talk to Mr O'Leary and Co. The Trade Unions have been trying to talk to them since Ryanairs inception. In case we have forgotten on the 24th of October, 2008 Ryanair announced the closure of its base at Valencia following the refusal of the Communitat Valenciana to engage in constructive discussions in relation to the promotion of the airport and its routes across Ryanair's network in Europe. The closure lead to a loss of over 70 weekly Ryanair flights, 750,000 passengers p.a. and over 750 jobs in the region. COULD HIS MIND HAVE BEEN CHANGED THEN. DID WE DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. Then on the 21st July announced a 40% capacity cutback in its Stansted Winter Schedule. Everyone is wrong except Ryanair.

While I hope they return to flying into Fuerteventura, I don't have much belief that this will happen. Like my brother Dave Galavan who has also written in this column I have a house in Fuerteventura and have difficulty in travelling to the destination, but I will not be put off by Ryanair. As Dave has said why does Aer Lingus not take up the vacant spots - even if they are more expensive than Ryanair.

#19 Paddy Hayden commented, on July 23, 2009 at 1:38 p.m.:

Is this life is this just fantasy? The lyrics of Queen resound when trying to fathom out this debacle of who owes what to whom and denial and argument abound! Aer Lingus characteristic overcharging an assured and uncompetitive direct schedule flight, smacks of cheap opportunism. It may act as a stop gap in the short term it is not unfortunately a permanent solution for the thousands of would be travellers. Easyjet or Ryanair are the only two airlines capable of providing value for money scheduled flights on twice weekly basis to Fuerteventura, will they venture forth?

Many regular Fuerteventura passengers pleaded with Ryanair prior to their withdrawal from the route to forget their arguments with the AIE, indicating they were prepared to pay more per seat rather than see Ryanair abandoning the route.

#21 Patrick commented, on July 25, 2009 at 1:14 p.m.:

Michael O'Leary does whatever he likes when it comes to running Ryanair. O'Leary is a business man and if the deal is not working- O'Leary will dump the deal. It seems like those who invested in property in Fuerteventura did not factor in the possibility of Ryanair abandoning the route thus leaving them high and dry.

#23 Fred Simpson commented, on July 26, 2009 at 9:22 p.m.:

O'Leary is right. This property moguls are getting their own 'property bubble burst'. O'Leary did not make them buy apartments. In fact he encouraged them to use hotels-with deals on certain hotels, and apartment renting common on his website.

This obsession with property is dysfunctional, and it deserves no sympathy.

Comments

Comments closed

Share this article

Search

This issue 5 years ago

RSS Feeds