European shares notched small gains but markets continue to understand the potential fallout of the coronavirus outbreak on global growth.

Budapest-based Wizz Air will continue to tap the low-cost airline business in eastern Europe, securing an advantage on western European rivals including Ryanair, Fitch Ratings has said in a review of European airlines’ recent earnings.

A study placed the Irish-based budget airline in eighth place, with an average delay of 21 minutes per flight in 2018.

By Christopher Jasper and Chiara Albanese

A storm of hurricane proportions is churning towards the European airline industry and the consequential damage should not be underestimated.

Pilot representatives at Ryanair will meet later today to decide on dates for another wave of strikes here.

Ryanair rival budget airline Wizz Air, which has withstood the pressures in the aviation sector better than many of its rivals, said it would offer new routes from London’s Luton airport to Cyprus, Slovakia, Estonia, Ukraine and Albania.

Airbus announced the biggest commercial-plane transaction in its history, securing an order for single-aisle aircraft valued at nearly $50bn (€42.6bn) at the Dubai Air Show, outdoing Boeing’s own $20bn mega-deal, Julie Johnsson, Mary Schlangenstein and Benjamin D Katz report.

Low fares regional airline Flybe has warned that first-half profits will be lower than expected, sending shares tumbling as higher maintenance costs compounded a tough airline market.

Low fares regional airline Flybe has warned that first-half profits will be lower than expected, sending shares tumbling as higher maintenance costs compounded a tough airline market.

Cautious comments by British budget airline Easyjet on the outlook for summer pricing hit its shares and those of rival airlines yesterday, overshadowing an increased profit target after a strong quarter.

Ryanair is expected to post after-tax profits of €320m when it publishes first quarter results early next week.

Qatar Airways’ plan to launch its first Irish route will go ahead on schedule and will be unaffected by four of Qatar’s Arab neighbours cutting diplomatic ties with the country.

Strikes by French air traffic control and by ground staff in Berlin have pushed up “multiple headwinds” against Ryanair achieving its earnings guidance, according to Merrion Capital analysts.

Scandinavian Airlines (Sas) is to use Ireland as a launch pad from which to expand its services aimed at leisure travel passengers, in a bid to compete more directly with rival Norwegian Air.

Air France-KLM joined other European airlines in warning of the impact on revenue this year of recent attacks in France and political upheaval elsewhere as it reported a drop in sales and braced for a strike by its staff.

Wizz Air Holdings cut UK capacity-growth plans for the rest of this year by half as Britain’s vote to exit the EU is set to weigh on fares and demand.

The UK’s aviation regulator is taking legal action against Ryanair in a bid to ensure it changes its policy on paying flight delay compensation.

Cork County Council hopes to co-ordinate a major push to convince the transport minister and Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) to cut a deal with Cork Airport on its likely independence and to ease crippling debt.

The twice-weekly Cork to Brussels air service is shortly to be ended and Cork politicians, from Government and opposition parties alike, as well as Chamber of Commerce officials, are all screeching about what the loss will do to Cork Airport.

Stephen Rogers and Eoin English examine Cork Airport’s decline and its attempts to take off again

Cork Airport is unlikely to meet its previously stated target of breaking even — on a cash basis — by the end of this year, but its owners remain "focused" on returning the airport to growth.

Ryanair has been granted permission to fly to destinations in Russia from March next year by the country’s aviation authority.

Cork Airport has been dealt a blow with news that Hungarian airline Wizz Air will discontinue its services from there in the coming weeks.

Cork Airport is predicting passenger numbers through its terminal will grow in 2013 for the first time in five years.

Winter is settling in, but that doesn’t mean you have to... just yet, at least.

Wizz Air is going head to head with Ryanair on its newly launched eastern European routes out of Cork by launching “transparent low fares”.

Ryanair launched five routes from Cork airport while claiming that with a little bit of initiative the Government could bring millions of extra tourists to Ireland.

Cork Airport made a loss of around €14m last year but its parent — the Dublin Airport Authority — has said it is committed to returning the airport to profit.

Ryanair is to base four new Boeing 737-800 series aircraft in Budapest Airport opening up 31 routes out of the Hungarian capital in response to yesterday’s collapse of Malev Airlines.

AN investigation has been launched after 21 passengers were locked into the departures area at Cork Airport as they tried to board their flight, which then took off without them.

IRELAND is still perceived as an expensive location, according to tourism chiefs, who say business from Britain has collapsed.

THE incoming head of the Irish Travel Agents’ Association says he’s concerned that Cork Airport management aren’t doing enough to attract new business.

RYANAIR, which is expected to launch its 33rd European base today, believes the collapse of Austrian airline SkyEurope will open up opportunities for it to expand.

Ryanair and Wizz Air are among airlines interested in the possibility of turning an airfield in the Champagne region into a hub for low-cost carriers serving Paris, a spokeswoman for Vatry airport said tonight.

I WISH to respond to Edel Wright’s letter headlined ‘Emigrant family devastated by the loss of Cork-Glasgow flight link’ (September 17).

THERE was good news on several fronts for Cork Airport yesterday.

Aer Lingus was Cork Airport’s biggest customer last year, carrying 1.2 million passengers, according to the airport’s end of year report.

Cork Airport was flying high today after it announced a record 3.2 million passengers passed through its new terminal last year — a 6% jump in traffic on the previous year.

Low-fare airline Wizz Air has launched a massive end of summer sale on 80% of its route network.