Bournemouth Buzz off
From Local papers
AROUND 55,000 holiday-makers could be left in the lurch today amid fears that planned Buzz flights from Bourne-mouth could be scrapped by new owner Ryanair.
Confusion reigned as yesterday as as customers trying to book flights to Amsterdam, Bergerac, Malaga and other destinations were told all Bournemouth Buzz sales had been "temporarily suspended" - and people who have already bought tickets would have to "wait and see" if the services will still go ahead.
The cheap flights, due to start at the end of next month, were expected to bring 200 new jobs and form a key part of the airport's much-heralded 2003 expansion plans, but even airport managing director, Glyn Jones, has been left in the dark.
And, if the worst fears are realised at a Ryanair press conference, in London this morning, he is urging every single ticket-holder to fight for their right to fly.
"The fact that 55,000 people have already booked seats demonstrates the huge demand there is. People in this part of the UK have waited a long time for a significant low-cost operator," he said.
"We would all like Ryanair to continue that, and I would encourage every ticket-holder to make their feelings known."
Ryanair remained tight-lipped on its future plans ahead of today's meeting, but it has already warned it will "rationalise" Buzz by shutting down high-cost, unprofitable routes.
Just two weeks ago, Bournemouth International Airport opened a brand new departure lounge, specifically designed and built to handle the 750,000 annual increase in passengers which the new routes - due to begin at the end of next month - were expected to bring.
But the shock announcement of Ryanair's £16 million takeover of Buzz at the weekend sparked fears that some of the more pricey services to Paris, Murcia and Malaga could be axed - and worried passengers have been unable to get a straight answer in the days since.
Claire Freeman, of Kinson, and friends have booked 12 return tickets to the Spanish sunshine resort of Malaga at the end of May, and they are becoming increasingly concerned about the fate of their holiday plans.
"We just don't know what is going on - every time we have rung Buzz or Ryanair we just get fobbed off, and told to call back later in the month," she said.
A Buzz spokesman told the Echo to contact Ryanair, which declined to comment ahead of today's meeting.
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