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Ryanair warns on service cuts

Ryanair has warned that it could permanently reduce some services locally and base more of its operations outside the State if action isn’t taken to protect the aviation sector. eddiewilson102

The Irish carrier, which recently closed its bases in Cork and Shannon until April due to the Covid-19 crisis, has called on the Government to do more to ensure the overall survival of air travel in Ireland.

Speaking to The Irish Times, Eddie Wilson, chief executive of Ryanair DAC, the airline group’s biggest subsidiary, said the Government needs to look beyond day-to-day Covid-19 figures to consider not just what is happening now but also the longer-term implications arising from the crisis.

Gifts to replace Christmas parties

New research suggests that most workplaces have abandoned plans for festive celebrations this year. party2

According to a survey by e-recruitment platform IrishJobs.ie, just 14% of workplaces plan to host a Christmas party this year.

Of those who plan to host a Christmas party, 9% will host a virtual party, 3% plan to have a party in the workplace under socially distanced guidelines while 2% hope to secure a booking in a restaurant or pub providing these establishments are open.

Of the more than 2,600 employees surveyed, almost eight in 10 said they consider workplace socialising to be an important aspect of their job.

However, when it comes to a Covid Christmas, four in 10 believe it would be irresponsible to host a Christmas party, with 30% saying it would be “more trouble than it is worth” given the current restrictions and risks associated with social gatherings.

However 60% of Irish SME’s planning on sending gifts to their employees in lieu of the traditional Christmas party., according to another new study.

Hotels want to join 'Safe Christmas'

The Irish Hotels Federation has reiterated its call on the Government to include hotels as part of the core infrastructure for reopening society on 1st December. Tim Fenn, Chief timfenn0218 Executive stated that Irish hotels are proven to provide safe, controlled environments. “Hotels can help to ensure a safer reopening thereby minimising the risk of increased infection rates,” he said. Hoteliers are calling for people to be allowed to travel outside their county and for in-door dining in hotels, including for non-residents, to be permitted as part of the reduced restrictions from 2nd December.

“Public health is the number one priority for hotels, and this is reflected in the statistics from the HPSC, which show that hotels have been associated with very few clusters (0.14%) since March. Hotels provide very safe, highly-controlled, spacious environments with extensive measures and training in place to minimise the risk from Covid-19.”

'Wet' pubs want to re-open

The pub sector is urging the Government to allow it to fully reopen after Ireland exits its second lockdown on December 1. pcribben

The Vintners’ Federation of Ireland wants the sector to be given the opportunity to open together, after rumours circulated that wet pubs would remain shut.

"The idea that non-food pubs should be forced to remain shut is a non-starter, especially when you consider the Government’s own data that pubs are responsible for such a small number of outbreaks," says Padraig Cribben, Chief Executive of the VFI.

“We have 50,000 staff waiting this week to find out if they can go back to work. They need to be working in December to provide a reasonable Christmas for their families and are surely entitled to that as a minimum, after the best part of nine months on the Pandemic Unemployment Payment,” Mr Cribben says.

The Licensed Vintners Association , which represents pubs in Dublin, says some iconic Dublin pubs have been closed for 253 days, including Grogans, McDaids and O’Donoghues. In the capital, wet pubs were never allowed to reopen.

Aid sought for Belfast Airport

The Stormont Executive has been urged to allocate further Covid-19 relief funding to Belfast International Airport. belfastapt

Last week Belfast International chief executive Graham Keddie announced his airport will not be able to continue remaining open 24/7 after major airlines reduced the number of routes they operate.

Mr Keddie added that the airport had remained open around the clock during lockdown at a cost of around £65,000 (€73,000) per day to accommodate medical emergency flights, military and PSNI traffic, the Royal Mail and all cargo flights.

The airport was not among businesses to benefit from £300m (€337m) Covid-19 relief allocations announced by Finance Minister Conor Murphy on Monday.

Mr Murphy said he intends to bring a paper to the Executive next week around airport funding.