Welsh Government Asks Ryanair To Stop Flights

Ryanair flights departing Cardiff Airport are due to go ahead despite the travel guidance in Wales asking citizens to remain with 5 miles of their homes.

Cardiff Airport, owned by the Welsh Government since 2013, will facilitate Ryanair flights to and from Spain and Portugal on Friday. Welsh ministers are understood to be frustrated by the situation with a spokesman stating “We don’t believe these flights should be going ahead” with official ‘stay local’ rules in the nation not expiring until 6 July.

Ryanair argues that “hundreds of Welsh people’ would be returning from countries with infection rates lower than that of the UK.

One minister said he predicts a “vast proportion” of passengers will not turn up for the flights, which the majority of tickets for were sold up to 12 months ago, whilst acknowledging that some will be travelling on compassionate grounds or for business reasons. He continued by urging citizens to continue with national efforts and comply with the rules. 

Customers are understandably confused with one saying passengers has been left “in limbo” and that Ryanair requested £280 to change the date of her flight to Faro. Finally, the customer said, “They’re expecting us to break the law just to get to the airport.”

Starting 6 July, people in England can travel to some European countries without the need for quarantine but no decision has been made on the matter in Wales. The ‘stay local’ travel rules are however due to expire on the same date with people allowed to “travel as far as they like for all purposes.”