Ryanair blames Brexit for airport chaos, despite being an EU airline

Ryanair Boeing 737-800 at Bristol Airport (Image: UK Aviation Media)
Ryanair Boeing 737-800 at Bristol Airport (Image: UK Aviation Media)

The outspoken boss of Ryanair group, Michael O’Leary has said that Brexit is solely to blame for the current chaos being seen in UK airports claiming the problems are down to a failure to attract people to do jobs like baggage handling.

He said that the problems would be quickly solved by bringing in European workers but airports were unable to because of Brexit.

In a statement, O’leary said “We are hide-bound and hamstrung by a government so desperate to show Brexit has been a success, when it’s been an abject failure. It won’t allow us to bring in EU workers to do these jobs.”

Airports disagree however, they have made clear that there is not a lack of applicants or people wanting to do the jobs advertised but the delays are down to getting staff vetted.

UK workers, or European workers, all would still need to be vetted and security cleared so it’s hard to see what Mr O’Leary is basing his claim on.

His words seem even odder given that Ryanair (with the exception of Ryanair UK) is an EU airline so it’s free to recruit pilots, crew and any other staff from the EU.

O’Leary warned passengers to expect a less than “less than satisfactory experience” this summer, something that perhaps is more reflective of Ryanair than Brexit.

About Nick Harding 2050 Articles
Nick is the senior reporter and editor at UK Aviation News as well as working freelance elsewhere. He has his finger firmly on the pulse on Aviation, not only in the UK but worldwide. Nick has been asked to speak in a professional capacity on LBC, Heart and other broadcast networks.