Nine passengers on board … Can the Airlines survive?

Ryanair flight from Stansted to Malaga flies with only nine passengers on board.

ON Wednesday morning, Euro Weekly News received this photo from one of our loyal readers. The image was taken on a Ryanair flight from London Stansted to Malaga.

The flight was empty save for nine passengers on board spread throughout the distinct yellow and blue decorated fuselage. This raises further questions and concerns for both travellers and the travel industry as a whole. How long can airlines survive without a viable customer base?

With many global airlines including, Ryanair, easyJet, Virgin Atlantic and British Airways having already received bailout packages from various sources, there is still concern that dwindling passenger numbers will see these companies, who were once Giants of the Sky, potentially reduced to Birds nesting on the Tarmac.

Airlines have never had to deal with a period of crisis like the coronavirus pandemic and it is becoming increasingly clear that, while some maintain they do not need to receive further assistance at this time, it is clear that the vast majority do.

Many holidaymakers are already expressing their discontent with repeated cancellations and alterations, with some experiencing flight cancellations as far ahead as the New Year. Many exasperated holidaymakers are still turning away from their holidays abroad for the preference of a staycation without the headache of last-minute cancellations.

The airline industry has already seen smaller aviators that have not received financial assistance, such as Flybe, go under.

So what does the future hold for the airline industry?

The picture is unclear however Italy has already renationalised Alitalia creating a new state-owned airline whereas France, on the other hand, has expressed their desire to do whatever it takes to save Air France/KLM. Whatever the future for the air industry, it is clear that operators cannot continue to run empty planes and something will have to give.

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