Ryanair’s Lauda airline to close Vienna base, 300 jobs to go

By Reuters On May 22, 2020

FILE PHOTO: Ryanair Chief Executive Michael O'Leary addresses a news conference in Vienna, Austria, March 28, 2018. REUTERS/Heinz-Peter Bader

VIENNA (Reuters) – Ryanair’s (I:RYA) Austrian airline Lauda on Friday said it would shut down its main Vienna base on May 29 with the loss of more than 300 jobs in Austria after it did not manage to agree new labour contracts with the union.

Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary said earlier in May that the group would shut down the main Vienna base of Lauda and bring in Ryanair jets instead unless staff agreed to a pay cut and a new labour agreement.

Austria’s Vida union had refused to agree to Lauda’s contract proposals as it said they would hit some staff hard. The union was not immediately available for comment on Friday.

Ryanair bought the Austrian airline from Former Formula One racing champion Niki Lauda in 2018 as part of a move to a broader structure with several airline brands.

Lauda’s Vienna base hosts 15 of the airline’s 30 A320s. O’Leary has said he planned to keep Lauda’s other bases in Stuttgart, Dusseldorf and Palma open.