Workers confused as Ryanair/Buzz takeover fails
Union leaders were seeking urgent meetings with Ryanair today after the airline’s expected take-over of low cost carrier Buzz failed to go ahead.
The Irish low-fares airline announced last night it was still waiting for final clearance of the deal from the British Office of Fair Trading (OFT).
All Buzz services ended today although Ryanair plans to reopen 13 routes on May 1.
Hundreds of jobs are being lost and many workers turned up at Stansted Airport in Essex today expecting to receive redundancy pay.
Many of the former check-in staff and other administrative workers have found other jobs but were left “confused” by the latest development.
Ed Blisset, an official with GMB Union said: “It is a complete mess. These people were told they were going to be made redundant and have made other arrangements.
“They are being treated despicably and we will do our best to try to find out what is happening.”
Ryanair said it had received “enormous assistance” from the OFT and did not expect difficulty in obtaining clearance for the deal “in due course”.
