Ryanair has announced that it set to reduce the number of Italian routes later this year with the loss of an estimated 600 jobs.
According to the RTE website, the move, which will see 16 Italian routes chopped, comes following the the Italian government's decision to raise departure taxes to €9 from €6.50.
"Ryanair had no choice but to close two of its 15 Italian bases, Alghero and Pescara, and move its aircraft, pilots and crews to countries that have lower tourism costs” said David O'Brien, Ryanair's chief commercial officer.
Eight routes are to be cut from the Sardinian city of Alghero, five from Prescara on Italy's Adriatic coast and all services in Crotone will be cut.
Earlier this week, Ryanair announced that it had doubled fiscal third-quarter earnings as passenger numbers surged and said it will return €800 million to investors via a share-buyback program.
