Ireland’s flag carrier facing cost pressures and workforce changes amid competition
Several European passenger flights have been subjected to bomb threats over the past 48 hours. Authorities have searched or diverted at least seven planes — affecting Ryanair, Wizz Air, LOT and SAS services — and one cruise ship. All aircraft have landed safely and searches have found no explosives; investigations are ongoing as officials call the alerts malicious hoaxes.
Multiple European flights have been diverted or escorted after hoax bomb threats, with Aer Lingus from Dublin to Rome landing at a military base in Evreux, France. Flights from Warsaw to Brussels and Helsinki to Rome also faced threats. No explosives were found; investigations and heightened security are ongoing.
WestJet flight attendants have ended their strike after CUPE 8125 and the airline have reached a tentative agreement that recognizes more pre‑ and post‑flight work and raises pay. The deal will go to a ratification vote; WestJet cancelled hundreds of flights and said about 250,000 travellers were affected over the long weekend.
US carriers are returning to Ben Gurion, expanding seats as demand climbs for the Jewish New Year and holidays. Despite new capacity, fares remain high through autumn, with relief not expected until November as demand shifts post-election.
Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary has defended previously controversial remarks that compared rival airlines to rapists, saying he has not trivialised rape and will not apologise. The comments have drawn condemnation from victims’ groups and politicians in Ireland and the UK, ahead of Ryanair’s AGM.
A Ryanair flight from Thessaloniki to Memmingen suffers a shattered window after a fan-blade failure, injuring Ljubisa Karovic. Passengers and crew intervene as the window is blocked and oxygen masks deploy. Ryanair’s CEO has said compensation is possible but not “millions and millions.” The NTSB is investigating.