Business: Good week - Bad week

Good Week

© Ryanair

RYANAIR Shortly after Eurocontrol predicted a 5% decline in European air traffic for 2009, the Irish budget carrier announced that its passenger numbers increased 5% in March, to 4.7 million - despite the shift of the Easter holiday period to April this year. Meanwhile, low-cost rival EasyJet blamed the moving feast for a 6.3% fall in March's passenger numbers. In the 12 months to 31 March, EasyJet carried 44.2 million passengers, against Ryanair's 58.6 million.

 

 

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Bad Week

© Bombardier

BOMBARDIER UK The airframer's Belfast plant failed in a bid to produce nacelles for the CSeries programme, with Pratt & Whitney landing the entire engine system package. Consequently, UK investment in the geared turbofan-powered airliner now stands at £142.7 million ($209.7 million), down from a previously announced £155 million. Early this month, 975 jobs were cut at the Northern Irish facility, where the CSeries' advanced composite wings will be manufactured.

 

 

Source: Flight International