Ryanair to resume 90% of its route network from July 1

Ryanair just announced that “will operate a daily flight schedule of almost 1,000 flights, restoring 90% of its pre-Covid-19 route network”. The airline states that while 90% of the routes will start operation, the reduced frequency on most (a daily flight only), means a return to just “40% of normal flight schedules”. This restart will be dependent on “Government restrictions on intra-EU flights being lifted, and effective public health measures being put in place at airports”

Since the Covid-19 flight restrictions in mid-March, Ryanair has been operating a skeleton daily schedule of 30 flights between Ireland, the UK and Europe. From July, Ryanair will restart flying from most of its 80 bases across Europe. There will be fewer daily/weekly frequencies on trunk routes, as Ryanair works to restore some services on the widest number of routes, rather than operating high frequency services on a small number.

The full information about the routes, flights times and frequencies is already available on the airline’s website.

In the same announcement, the airline also states the security measures that will be put in place to protect passengers and crew

These include fewer checked bags, check in online, downloading boarding pass to the passenger smart phone, as well as undergoing temperature checks at airport entry and wearing face masks/coverings at all times in the terminal and on board aircraft. All Ryanair aircraft are fitted with HEPA air filters (similar to those used in critical hospital wards) and all aircraft interior surfaces are disinfected every night with chemicals, which are effective for over 24 hours. While temperature checks and face masks/coverings are the cornerstone of this healthy return to service, social distancing at airports and onboard aircraft will be encouraged where it is possible.

The airline adds that all cabin crew will wear face masks and the onboard service will undergo changes, with limited options of pre packed foods and beverages and cashless transactions. The access to the toilet will also be different from now on, whit queuing prohibited “although toilet access will be made available to individual passengers upon request”

Additionally, in July and August, all passengers will be asked to fill in some details regarding their travel plans, as the time they plan to spend on the destination, their address during the trip and contact information. This data will be provided to EU Governments to help them to monitor any isolation regulations they require of visitors on intra-EU flights.